Hunter
11/28/20
An Iowa City resident has been taken into custody after reportedly getting upset at a woman who was talking to another man and choking her.
The alleged incident occurred Thursday evening just before 10 at Shelter House on Southgate Avenue. Staff told arriving police that 43-year-old John Stepheny assaulted a woman and was hiding in an upstairs bathroom.
The woman told officers that Stepheny was arguing with her because she was speaking to another man, grabbed her by the neck, and attempted to choke her, She slapped him in self-defense, and she says Stephany slapped her back and ran upstairs after a brief scuffle with another man who came to her aid.
The woman reportedly had redness, abrasions and ruptured blood vessels on her neck from the altercation. Officers found Stephany and placed him under arrest. He’s charged with assault impeding airflow, an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by a prison term of up to two years if convicted.
The woman requested a no-contact order due to her fear of Stepheny.