Larry Hedlund. (file photo)

Larry Hedlund. (file photo)

The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the dismissal part of a lawsuit filed by the former DCI agent who claimed he was fired after reporting that the governor’s SUV was speeding.

Larry Hedlund was placed on paid leave from his position as a DCI special agent two days after he reported on April 26th of 2013 that the SUV carrying the governor and lieutenant governor was doing a “hard 90” on Highway 20. Hedlund was then fired on July 17th.

Part of Hedlund’s lawsuit says he was improperly fired under the Iowa public policy that protects law enforcement officers from being fired for rightly enforcing state laws. The district court dismissed that part of the lawsuit, saying it was filed well after the 30-day time limit for appeal.

The Iowa Supreme Court voted unanimously to uphold that ruling based on the deadline. The Supreme Court ruling also says the dismissal of Hedlund’s appeal does not keep him from continuing with other aspects of his lawsuit. And it says he can appeal the public policy ruling at the end of the other proceedings.

Hedlund eventually retired while continuing to pursue the lawsuit over his firing.

Here’s the ruling: Hedlund Ruling PDF