Police: Man assaulted pregnant woman over cellphone at Iowa City mall

IOWA CITY - An Iowa City man is accused of assaulting a pregnant woman and her brother over a cellphone, accusations that are partially refuted by victims in the case.

Iowa City police were called out to the Sycamore Mall around 5:20 p.m. Wednesday for a report of a fight in progress. There, officers met with the alleged victim - who is seven months pregnant - her mother and brother, who identified himself to a reporter as 26-year-old Jacob Perez. The trio pointed out 20-year-old Carlos De La Cruz as the assailant.

Police attempted to make contact with De La Cruz, who immediately told officers not to touch him, threw a cellphone and attempted to walk away from officers. De La Cruz struggled with officers, who were eventually forced to push the man up against a wall to control and handcuff the man, police said.

After De La Cruz was in custody, police learned he had become upset with the victim and her family over not being able to put a cellphone in his name. Police said De La Cruz grabbed the woman by her neck and pushed her against a wall. Perez stepped in and the two men fought, police said.

Police said the pregnant woman reported having pain in his stomach from De La Cruz pushing her and also had a red mark on her neck from being grabbed. Perez reported having pain in his elbow from the assault, police said.

Perez, however, denied that De La Cruz pushed his sister.

'He did grab my sister,” Perez said. 'He didn't push her up against the wall. He was just restraining her and having an altercation with her.”

Perz said De La Cruz pushed past his sister and mother to come at him when they fought.

'I'm not saying what he did was right,” Perez said. 'He was totally out of control.”

In a call to the Gazette, the victim also said De La Cruz did not grab or push her.

De La Cruz was arrested and faces charges of assault causing bodily injury, a serious misdemeanor; interference with official acts, a simple misdemeanor; and domestic abuse, a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by up to 30 days in jail.