Local transient’s birthday ends with his arrest after allegedly going to ex-girlfriend’s residence while armed with a knife to confront her about potential cheating

Lang
10/28/21

A local transient’s birthday ended with his arrest at an ex-girlfriend’s residence while he was allegedly wielding a knife.

Iowa City Police were called to the Bon Aire manufactured housing community just after 3:15 Wednesday afternoon for a report of a man running around with a machete. Arriving officers located 53-year-old Rick Ellinger outside one of the residences. He reportedly had a knife on his person. Ellinger allegedly told police he was intoxicated because it was his birthday, and that he had come to his ex-girlfriend’s residence to confront her about potentially cheating.

Ellinger, who lists his address as Shelter House, was arrested and charged with violating a no-contact order that was issued on September 1^st.