Kayan Williams, 16, Killed in Cedar Rapids Highway 30 Crash Following Police Pursuit

Kayan Williams, 16, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died in a head-on collision on Highway 30 on November 6, 2026. His family and school community are mourning his tragic death.

Kayan Williams Dies in Highway 30 Collision

The Cedar Rapids community is mourning the death of 16-year-old Kayan Williams, who was killed in a head-on collision on U.S. Highway 30 on Friday afternoon, November 6, 2026.

The crash occurred at approximately 3:10 p.m. near the Williams Boulevard intersection in Cedar Rapids. According to reports citing the Iowa State Patrol, the collision involved two Chevrolet Impalas and followed a police pursuit that began in Marshall County and crossed four Iowa counties.

Authorities later identified Kayan Williams as one of the two people killed. The other victim was identified as 36-year-old Garrett Sager of Grand Island, Nebraska.

How the Fatal Highway 30 Crash Happened

Investigators reported that Sager was driving a 2019 Chevrolet Impala when he fled from law enforcement officers in Marshall County. During the pursuit, authorities said he fired at officers, striking an occupied police cruiser.

The pursuit continued across multiple counties. The Iowa State Patrol reported that the fleeing vehicle eventually traveled eastbound in the westbound lanes of Highway 30.

After several unsuccessful attempts to stop the vehicle, officers made another intervention near Williams Boulevard. The fleeing Impala then collided head-on with a 2004 Chevrolet Impala driven by Williams. Both drivers died.

Authorities have not released a complete account of every moment leading up to the collision. The Iowa State Patrol is investigating the crash and the preceding pursuit.

Family and School Community Remember Kayan

Kayan’s death has also affected the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District, where his father, Brian Williams, serves as a middle school principal.

In a message to the school community, Superintendent Jared Carder expressed condolences to Brian Williams and his family, acknowledging the profound grief associated with losing a child. The superintendent also encouraged students and staff to seek support from school counselors and administrators if needed.

The family announcement included in the original report identifies Becky as Kayan’s mother and Ann Spooner as his grandmother. It also remembers his sibling and father among those grieving his death.

As relatives, friends and members of the school community come to terms with the loss, their thoughts remain with everyone who loved Kayan.

Funeral and Memorial Information

The school district’s public message did not include funeral arrangements or memorial service details. The district said it would share information about ways to support the family when appropriate and with the family’s permission.

Our sincere condolences go to Kayan Williams’s parents, grandmother, sibling, extended family, friends and everyone affected by his passing.

Disclaimer

The crash circumstances and the identities of the two deceased drivers are based on reporting attributed to the Iowa State Patrol and subsequent local news updates. The school district separately confirmed the death of its middle school principal’s 16-year-old son following a November 6 automobile accident.

The available reporting does not establish that Kayan was involved in the police pursuit. Reports identify him as the driver of the other vehicle struck in the head-on collision. The investigation remains ongoing, and no unsupported conclusions about his actions or responsibility should be drawn.