Cedar Rapids man arrested for first-degree burglary threw woman down stairs: Police

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids man is accused of breaking into an apartment and throwing a woman down a flight of stairs.

Cedar Rapids public safety spokesman Greg Buelow said officers were called to an apartment in the 2200 block of Westdale Drive SW at 5:10 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a burglary in progress. Dispatchers told responding officers that someone was banging on the door of the apartment and they could hear screaming. Dispatchers also told officers that it sounded as if the suspect had entered the apartment and was taking the victim's property, Buelow said.

Buelow said when police arrived, the suspect had fled, but they were given a suspect name and vehicle description. Police pulled over the suspect - 24-year-old Deandre Spears - in the area of 20th Avenue and Wiley Boulevard SW, Buelow said.

An investigation into the break-in showed that Spears had kicked in the door to the apartment and got into an argument with the woman inside. Buelow said Spears allegedly threw the woman down a flight of stairs before leaving with a backpack and property belonging to the female victim. The woman suffered a cut to the wrist, Buelow said.

Spears has been arrested and faces one count of first-degree burglary.

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