Police: Man accused of killing Iowa football coach was supposed to be taken to psych ward

Police: Suspect in coach killing attacked house

PARKERSBURG, Iowa — Police say a 24-year-old man charged with murdering a prominent Iowa high school football coach was supposed to have been taken to a hospital psychiatric ward after leading police on a car chase.

Cedar Falls Police Chief Jeff Olson says he was told Butler County Sheriff’s deputies would take Mark Becker to the ward after taking a baseball bat to a Cedar Falls home and leading police on a chase Saturday night.

The Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on whether deputies took Becker to the ward.

Olson says Becker was released from custody at some point but that his department wasn’t notified.

Becker is charged with first-degree murder in the Wednesday slaying of Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach Ed Thomas. Authorities say Becker, a former player, walked into the high school weight room and unloaded several shots into Thomas in front of some current players.

Becker was charged Monday with eluding police pursuit.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

PARKERSBURG, Iowa (AP) — Police say a 24-year-old man charged with murdering a prominent Iowa high school football coach was supposed to be taken to taken to a hospital psychiatric ward after taking a baseball bat to a Cedar Rapids home Saturday night and leading police on a car chase.

Cedar Falls Police Chief Jeff Olson says Butler County Sheriff’s deputies were supposed to take Mark Becker to a hospital psychiatric unit after the Saturday night incident.

Olson says Becker was released at some point but that his department wasn’t notified.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the deputies took Becker to the hospital. The Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on the matter.

Becker is charged with first-degree murder in the Wednesday slaying of Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach Ed Thomas. Authorities say Becker, a former player, walked into the high school weight room and unloaded several shots into Thomas in front of some current players.

Becker was charged Monday with eluding police pursuit.

(This version CORRECTS that the home was in Cedar Falls, not Cedar Rapids.)