Lang
2/11/24
A second transient faces charges after he and another subject reportedly got into a fight involving a hatchet and a stick.
42-year-old Abdiqani Haji Mohamud was booked into the Johnson County Jail just after 12:30 Saturday morning. Iowa City Police say they were dispatched to an altercation on the 400 block of Highway 1 West just before 5:45 p.m. on February 4th involving Haji Mohamud and another transient, identified as 38-year-old Joseph Velazquez. Haji Mohamud allegedly accused Velazquez of stealing his bicycle and started waving around a hatchet. Velazquez claims Haji Mohamud hit him in the face when he turned towards him. Haji Muhamud claims Velazquez hit him with a stick causing a large cut to his forehead, and he only hit Velazquez in self-defense. Velazquez later reached out to KCJJ to say there was no bicycle involved, and he believed Haji Mohamud was “higher than anything on crystal meth”.
A search of Velazquez’s person reportedly turned up a container holding a crystal-like substance in his pocket. He was arrested and charged with Disorderly Conduct.
Once at the Johnson County Jail, 15 packets of a controlled substance were allegedly found on Velazquez’s person, leading to additional charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance – 2nd Offense and Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp. If convicted on all charges, Velazquez faces a maximum of over seven years in prison.
Haji Mohamud is now also charged with Disorderly Conduct. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 30 days in jail.