Lang
10/6/24
The two most serious charges have been dropped against a transient accused of burning a University of Iowa Police officer with hot coffee, then pulling a fire alarm inside a campus building in order to avoid arrest.
According to arrest records, just before 8:30 on the morning of March 7th the officer was writing a citation to 51-year-old Joseph Wilk, who was trespassing inside the UI College of Public Health on North Riverside Drive. Police say Wilk threw a cup of hot coffee at the officer, burning his left arm. Wilk then allegedly pulled a fire alarm, causing a full evacuation of the building. Officers were eventually able to take Wilk into custody.
Wilk was initially charged with Assault on Persons in Certain Occupations Causing Injury, Interference With Official Acts Causing Bodily Injury, Trespassing, and Disorderly Conduct. If convicted on all counts, he would have faced a maximum of over seven years in prison.
Online records show the assault and interference charges have been dropped, with only the Disorderly Conduct and Trespassing charges remaining.