Two arrested in Iowa City after fleeing a burglary, possessing 40 pounds of marijuana

IOWA CITY - Two people were arrested by Iowa City Police and face drug-related charges after fleeing the scene of a robbery, according to the criminal complaint. Following a short chase with police they were found in possession of 40 pounds of marijuana.

Officers arrested Benjamin Brewer, 29, of Cedar Rapids, and Nila Chounlamany, 23, of Burnsville, Minn. were arrested Sunday evening.

Brewer was driving a blue Dodge Dakota pickup south down Van Buren Street at about 7:40 p.m. Sunday when he failed to stop at the intersection of Van Buren Street and Bowery Street, according to the complaint. Brewer was driving at a high rate of speed with two passengers in the bed of the pickup.

An officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but Brewer continued through a parking lot, according to the complaint. After the vehicle turned north onto South Johnson Street, one of the individuals was thrown from the truck bed.

After crashing the vehicle in a yard on the 500 block of South Johnson Street, Brewer ran from the truck but was struck by another vehicle in an alley along South Johnson Street, according to the complaint.

Shortly before the vehicle incident, police received a call about a disturbance at an apartment on the 500 block of South Gilbert Street. Brewer and Chounlamany had left the apartment in the Dodge Dakota.

After the two were taken into custody, officers found 40 pounds of marijuana in duffel bags inside the truck and one duffel bag that had been discarded on the side of the road, according to the complaint. Police also found a pipe used to smoke methamphetamine in Brewer's possession.

Brewer was charged second-degree burglary, a controlled substance violation and failure to affix a drug tax stamp, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with official acts.

Chounlamany has been charged with a controlled substance violation and failure to affix a drug tax stamp.

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