Cedar Rapids man accused of pushing down his mom and stealing her phone

A Cedar Rapids man faces first-degree theft and assault causing injury charges after police said he pushed his mother down and stole her cellphone.

Joshua Van Fleet, 28, is accused of pushing down his mother at her residence Monday, causing her to strike her head on the door and cut it. Van Fleet forcefully took his mother's cellphone from her before leaving the residence, Cedar Rapids police reported.

'Officers later made contact with the defendant who admitted taking the cellphone from the victim,” the criminal complaint states.

Van Fleet faces an additional charge of unlawful possession of a prescription drug after police found him with Naloxone when they arrested him later Monday, the criminal complaint states.

First-degree theft is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

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