Hunter
12/23/20
An Iowa City man who was arrested for an attempted burglary at Carver Hawkeye Arena on Monday afternoon has been with charged with assault after an incident at the Johnson County Jail the next day.
Just before 11:30 Monday morning, 24-year-old Michael Pennell of Douglass Street allegedly entered the arena through a propped-open door. A witness saw Pennell grab his work bag with his work laptop and a box of hand wipes. When he was confronted, Pennell reportedly dropped the bag and ran out of the building with just the wipes.
Officers located Pennell in the area and he was identified by the witness. He was taken into custody and charged with 3rd Degree Burglary.
The next afternoon at the Johnson County Jail, staff was alerted to a fight in one of the holding areas. Officers responded and found that the subjects had already separated from each other. Camera footage was reviewed, and it showed the victim laying on the floor with Pennell standing over him. The footage then shows Pennell striking the victim multiple times in the head, leaving him with redness and watering of the eye, and a small laceration below the eye.
Pennell was charged with Assault Causing Bodily Injury for that incident. If convicted on the two charges, he could be sentenced to up to six years in prison.