Hunter
12/23/20
An Iowa City man was taken into custody after assaulting his live-in girlfriend of three months.
Police say the incident occurred at the TravelLodge on North Dodge Street Friday evening. 43-year-old John Stepheny of Shelter House and the woman got into an argument after the woman found out that Stepheny was unfaithful to her. Stepheny is accused of pushing the woman to the ground and then pulling her up on the bed by her hair. He then allegedly struck her in the face several times, got on top of her and choked her with both hands for approximately 30 seconds. The woman said she found it hard to breathe and talk while being choked. Once he stopped choking her, Stepheny allegedly hit her in the face again four times.
At one point during the altercation, the woman attempted to call 9-1-1, but Stepheny reportedly grabbed the phone from her and threw it across the room.
Police noted the woman had a bloody, bruised lip, with redness around the neck and face.
Stepheny was arrested and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault causing Injury, Domestic Abuse impeding Airflow, and Obstruction of Emergency Communications. He could be sentenced to up to over five years in prison if convicted.
A no-contact order was requested between the two individuals.
Stepheny faces another assault charge from Thanksgiving evening at Shelter House. In that incident, staff told arriving police that Stephany had assaulted a woman and was hiding in an upstairs bathroom. The woman in that incident told police that Stepheny was arguing with her because she was talking to another man, grabbed her by the neck, and attempted to choke her. Police say she had redness, abrasions and ruptured blood vessels on her neck from the altercation. Stepheny was charged with simple Assault, and the woman requested a no-contact order due to her fear of him.