Fake AK-47 found during Iowa City police investigation

IOWA CITY - An imitation AK-47 assault rifle was recovered by police Monday morning during an investigation.

A vehicle was observed driving at 12:27 a.m. Sunday in the area of Fairchild and North Governor streets without its headlights on, according to a Iowa City police criminal complaint. Police said the vehicle pulled into an alley and a man got out. Officers initially were unable to find him.

Police said they saw an AK-47 in the driver's seat. A K-9 officer searched the vehicle and alerted police to the presence of drugs. Officers eventually found the driver - Parish D. Bennett, 31, of Iowa City - who admitted to driving the vehicle, police said.

Police determined the AK-47 was not real. They also found a glass pipe used to smoke narcotics.

Bennett admitted to smoking marijuana earlier in the day and meth the day before, police said. He showed signs of impairment, but a preliminary breath test showed he had not consumed any alcohol. A drug recognition expert found that Bennett was unsafe to drive.

Bennett faces charges of operating under the influence, a serious misdemeanor; driving while barred; an aggravated misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor; and carrying a toy gun or slingshot, a simple misdemeanor.

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