Police chase lands Cedar Rapids man in jail

A Cedar Rapids man faces a slew of traffic charges after leading police on a chase late Tuesday.

Frederick R. Couch, 31, would not pull over for officers when they attempted to stop the van he was driving at First Avenue and 10th Street SE, police said. Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said the patrol officer who spotted the van around 10:45 p.m. thought it was suspicious.

With police flashing their lights and sirens behind him, Couch turned onto First Avenue East from 10th Street. He was going up to 50 mph and ran through flashing red stoplights at 12th and 13th streets, according to the police report. He went the wrong direction on the one-way 13th Street and made his way through an alley and parking lot to Third Avenue SE, where he went the wrong way again.

Hamblin said Couch jumped out of the van to run away before putting it into park, and the van hit a fence. She said Couch jumped a fence and officers lost him, but they located him later at 1250 Fourth Ave. SE.

Couch was arrested for driving with a suspended license, no insurance and no registration, in addition to the charges related to the chase. He was taken to the Linn County Jail.