Iowa City police find 40 pounds of pot after chase

IOWA CITY - A Cedar Rapids man led police on a wild chase than ended with the discovery of roughly 40 pounds of marijuana.

According to Iowa City police criminal complaints, around 7:40 p.m. on June 4, 2017, 30-year-old Benjamin J. Brewer was observed speeding on Van Buren Street at Bowery Street. Police said Brewer blew through a stop sign and continued south.

There were two people in the back of Brewer's truck and one was thrown from the vehicle during the pursuit, police said. Brewer drove through a parking lot, continued north onto South Johnson Street and ran a stop sign at North Johnson and Bowery streets before crashing into a yard at 500 S. Johnson Street.

Police said Brewer got out of the truck and fled on foot. He was hit by a vehicle in the alley west of 500 S. Johnson St and taken into custody, police said.

Police said they found approximately 40 pounds of marijuana in the bed of the truck. A pipe used to smoke meth was also found on Brewer, authorities said.

Brewer faces charges of controlled substance violation and Iowa tax stamp violation, both Class D felonies. He was booked at the Johnson County Jail Thursday night, according to jail records.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com