Hunter
05/26/21
An Iowa City area transient with a history of criminal mischief and making racial slurs has been taken into custody after allegedly breaking a woman’s side mirror during an altercation.
Police say the incident occurred on May 20th at approximately 9:40am near the intersection with Highway 6 and Boyrum Street. 45-year-old Michael Dacunos reportedly claimed that the woman pulled into and stopped in the cross walk of the intersection. The woman told officers that Dacunos busted out her side mirror with an umbrella and was screaming at her while doing so. She stated that she feared for her safety and well-being because of Dacunos’ actions.
Dacunos was found with an umbrella among his possessions about a block from the incident, and refused to answer questions about him causing damage with it. Officers took him into custody on an unrelated arrest warrant, and charged him with 5th degree Criminal Mischief and Disorderly Conduct for the incident with the woman. Judge Chad Thomas fined him $105 the next day.
KCJJ has reported on the man’s alleged criminal activity in the past; on January 29th of this year, University of Iowa Police say Dacunos was seen leaving the third floor of the Psychological and Brain Sciences Building on Iowa Avenue after a window was smashed with a side table just after 9:30am. Damage was estimated at $2000. Witnesses placed him at the scene, and he was charged with 2nd degree Criminal Mischief, a Class D Felony.
Last October, Dacunos was arrested for allegedly breaking multiple car windows at Deery Brothers Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram on Highway 1 West. He also allegedly damaged cars parked in the 600 block of South Riverside Drive and the 1100 block of South Gilbert Street. On May 7th, Dacunos agreed to a plea deal and was given a two year suspended sentence and a year’s probation. He could have been sentenced to up to eleven years in prison. He was also ordered to pay a $430 fine for the January incident.
Other incidents last year include Dacunos allegedly yelling racial slurs at a woman outside Best China on Boyrum Street, calling her a “bitch” before telling her that “black lives don’t matter,” and hitting a man with a golf club and biting him after yelling racial slurs at the 1105 Project on Gilbert Court. He served a total of three days in jail for those incidents.