Iowa City man accused of threatening woman over bathroom dispute

An Iowa City man was arrested late Sunday after police said he verbally harassed and made racist comments to a female housemate who confronted him about using the wrong bathroom.

The woman, according to a criminal complaint, confronted Larry Leonard Billman, 45, about 11 p.m. Sunday regarding his use of the upstairs restroom in the house at 121 North Van Buren St.

“The defendant has been told by property management to use the restroom on his floor,” according to police.

When the woman confronted Billman, according to the complaint, he became angry and made several racist comments.

Billman is accused of threatening “to kick in the defendant's door and trash her room, have her kicked out of the house, poor (sic) bleach in her mouthwash, urinate on her food, and poor (sic) bleach on her clothes,” according to the complaint.

He also is accused of threatening to “slit the victim's throat,” according to police.

Billman faces a charge of first-degree harassment, punishable by up to two years in prison.

He is being held at the Johnson County Jail in lieu of a $1,000 cash-only bond.