A vehicle carrying Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds hit a protester in Des Moines on Tuesday afternoon.
Leading up to the incident, a group of demonstrators had gathered to urge Reynolds to sign an executive order that would restore voting rights to those who had served their felony conviction sentences. Meanwhile, Reynolds travelling from an event in Ackley, Iowa that protesters attempted to attend, but were denied entry. As a result, a group formed on the driveway of Family Traditions Meat, where the event was held. Driving away from the event, a car carrying the governor hit a member of the crowd named Jaylen Cavil.
“The SUV that Gov. Reynolds was driving in drove right up to me. I was standing right in front of the car and I just stood there,” Cavil said.
“I was like, ‘I’m going to stand here. Surely the driver of the governor is not going to hit me with her car. This is the governor, my governor, who’s supposed to be representing me. I’m sure that her car is not going to intentionally hit me.’ I was wrong,” he continued.
While Cavil was not injured, the car’s impact did spin him around and lift him on to the hood of the vehicle.
Kim Reynolds driver hit me with her car, lmao. https://t.co/ztDRLwClHR
— Jaylen (@jaylencavil) June 30, 2020
“The vehicle was operated by a member of the Iowa State Patrol. As the vehicle started to leave a scheduled stop and enter the roadway, a demonstrator approached which caused the Governor’s vehicle to slow. The demonstrator stopped short and to the side of the vehicle. As the vehicle began to turn away from the protestor and onto the roadway, the demonstrator intentionally stepped in front of the slowly moving vehicle,” Sergeant Alex Dinkla said after reviewing the incident.
Cavil said that after the incident took place an officer began yelling at him and called him an idiot. He also firmly believes the driver hit him intentionally.
“I 100% think they intentionally hit me,” Cavil said.
“There’s no way that this driver could not see me right in front of his car,” he added.
Moving forward, Cavil says that he and others will continue to follow Reynolds around until she signs the executive order.
