Davenport man drove motorcycle 130 mph with gun in waistband, police allege
William Smith
Updated on March 15, 2026
A 21-year-old Davenport man faces charges after police allege he drove a motorcycle 130 mph with a gun in his waistband.
Ryan Couper faces a felony charge of eluding – speed over 25 mph over the limit and a serious misdemeanor charge of person ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon, court records say.
At 11:34 a.m. Sunday, an Iowa State Patrol officer was on patrol near Utah Avenue and River Drive traveling east in a marked patrol car wearing a full police uniform. “I checked the speed of a 2004 Honda Sport motorcycle bearing no license plates at 87 mph in the posted 50 mph speed zone,” the trooper alleges in affidavits.
According to affidavits, the trooper alleges “The motorcycle was approaching my vehicle from the rear. I pulled to the shoulder and the driver, later identified as Ryan Couper, made a U-turn and accelerated rapidly westbound on River Drive toward I-280.”
Affidavits show the trooper activated the cruiser’s emergency lights and sirens and began to pursue Couper, who was proceeding through intersections at more than 100 mph without regard for other motorists and running red lights. “Couper exceeded the posted speed limit by over 25 mph while I was behind him, with my emergency lights and siren activated,” the trooper alleges in affidavits. “Couper at several times looked back at my patrol car and continued to accelerate away from me.”
Couper was taken into custody at 110th Avenue and Highway 61 SB, affidavits say. The trooper alleges in affidavits that Couper admitted to fleeing while “making an utterance on his cell phone” and speeding up to 130 mph while being pursued by police. Couper admitted he did not have a driver’s license, the motorcycle was not registered or insured and he was on unsupervised probation.
The trooper alleges in affidavits that “During a search incident to arrest of Couper, I located a Glock 9mm handgun in his waistband.”
Couper, who was released on bond, is set to appear Tuesday in Scott County Court.
