Lang
8/27/21
A Cedar Rapids man accused of strangling and sexually assaulting a woman on the Ped Mall has reached a plea deal.
The alleged victim reported being attacked by 26-year-old William Pearson of Oakland Road Northeast just after 12:30am on November 17th, 2018 on the Linn Street side of the Ped Mall. She said she and Pearson had met at The Fieldhouse bar, then went outside and began kissing when Pearson put his hand down her pants and committed sex acts against her will. When she tried to stop him, he allegedly began strangling her, making her lose consciousness. The woman reported pain, bruising, redness and burst blood vessels in her eyes, neck and face.
When the woman woke up, she joined back up with her friends at The Union Bar, where she saw Pearson about 20 minutes after the alleged assault.
In interviews with police, Pearson and one of his friends both admitted to being at The Union. The friend also admitted that Pearson had met a girl at The Fieldhouse and left.
Surveillance recordings show Pearson and the woman leaving The Fieldhouse and going into an alley. They also show Pearson fleeing the area of the alleged assault.
Pearson admitted to kissing a girl in the alley, but denied the assault. He’s charged with 2nd Degree Sexual Abuse and Willful Injury Causing Serious Injury. If convicted on all charges, he would have faced a maximum of 30 years in prison.
Online records show Pearson has reached a plea deal with prosecutors. Judge Sean McPartland has set a sentencing hearing for October 15th.