MUSCATINE — An Iowa man accused of robbing a bank at gunpoint was quickly tracked down and taken into custody Monday morning after law enforcement officers spotted the suspected getaway vehicle heading north out of Muscatine.
Muscatine Police said emergency dispatchers received a report of an armed robbery at approximately 9:05 a.m. Monday, August 24, at U.S. Bank, 1800 Park Avenue.
Officers rushed to the bank and began searching for a male suspect who had allegedly fled the scene.
The search soon moved outside the city when a Muscatine County sheriff’s deputy located the suspect vehicle traveling northbound on Highway 38.
Additional law enforcement officers converged on the area, and an Iowa State Patrol trooper initiated a traffic stop on Highway 38 just north of Highway 6.
Police identified the suspect as Mathew Rawson, 38, of Coralville.
Rawson (pictured at top) was taken into custody without incident, according to authorities, and transported to the Muscatine County Jail.
He was being held on one count of armed robbery, with police saying additional charges were pending.
Muscatine Police continued processing the bank crime scene and interviewing witnesses following the arrest.
The Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol and Wilton Police Department assisted Muscatine Police during the investigation and apprehension.
Authorities did not immediately release additional details about the robbery, including whether a weapon was recovered, how much money was allegedly taken or whether anyone inside the bank was injured.
The investigation remains ongoing.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and Rawson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.