Transient with lengthy criminal history arrested twice in one day for throwing chairs
Lang
2/25/19
A local transient with a lengthy criminal history is accused of throwing chairs at other people twice in one day.
The first incident happened at the wet shelter on South Clinton Street at 4:20 Saturday morning. Iowa City Police say 50-year-old Gary Leon Duffel II had been fighting with another individual when he threw a chair, striking the other man in the head.
Duffel was arrested and charged with Assault and Public Intoxication.
Police were then called to Cross Park Place just before 9pm Saturday for two males fighting. An investigation determined that Duffel was arguing with another man over a previous incident when he again threw a chair at him. Duffel told police he picked up a chair but never threw it. He was also accused of hitting the other man and pulling his hair.
Duffel was arrested for Assault.
Duffel has multiple previous Public Intoxication convictions. He made news last year when he was arrested for cutting down the flag outside the Iowa City VFW hall.
In March of 2010 Duffel was arrested for urinating on the front porch of then-Iowa City City Councilor Mike Wright.
Duffel was arrested at The Nickelodeon on the Coralville Strip in January of that year after he took his clothes off and began yelling about his recent release from the Henry County Correctional Facility.
Duffel was convicted on Criminal Mischief charges in 2007 after he toppled the Irving Weber statue at the corner of Iowa Avenue and Linn Street, breaking off the arm and causing an estimated $12,000 in damages.
In 2014 Duffel was arrested after stealing a keg off of a beer truck parked at the Benton Street Delimart.