Lang
4/30/21
A local transient faces charges that he threatened and hurled anti-Muslim comments at an Iowa City restaurant owner because she ran out of deli meat.
According to arrest records, Iowa City Police were called to The Cottage on East Benton Street just before 6:30 on April 24th for an intoxicated customer making threats. Arriving officers learned that 49-year-old Keith Collins had entered the business and demanded a sub sandwich. Collins became angry when he was told by the business’s owner that they were out of deli meat for the day. Police say he became increasingly agitated, yelling at the woman to the point other customers left out of fear.
The owner of The Cottage, who was wearing a head scarf at the time of the incident, told investigators that Collins had yelled, “Allahu Akbar” and “Osama Bin Laden” at her. She said she was terrified because she didn’t know if Collins had a weapon, and was fearful that he would return after he left.
Police found Collins surrounded by empty beer bottles. He allegedly showed multiple signs of intoxication, and admitted to saying what he did to the victim because she was Muslim. Collins refused sobriety testing and was taken into custody. An open container of Fireball was found on his person.
Collins is charged with 3rd Degree Harassment and Public Intoxication. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 60 days in jail.
A bench trial is set for June 29th. Collins has had multiple recent arrests for various charges.