Cedar Rapids man charged with trying to strangle his mother with American flag

NORTH LIBERTY — A Cedar Rapids man is accused of assaulting his mother in her North Liberty home and attempting to strangle her with an American flag.

Adam Sotzen, 39, is charged with assault with intent to afflict serious injury, first-degree harassment, eluding, and operating while under the influence.

According to a criminal complaint, Sotzen showed up at his mother’s house early Monday, intoxicated and upset about a previous dispute they’d had.

He yelled at her and began destroying her property before shoving her to the ground in her backyard and going into her house. She followed him inside and sat in a recliner, according to the criminal complaint.

Sotzen was holding a 3-by-5 foot American flag he had taken from a nearby residence. He twirled it into a rope and began trying to strangle his mother with the flag, repeatedly telling her to die, the complaint stated.

The mother’s boyfriend intervened, and Sotzen punched him in the rib cage.

Sotzen left the residence, and his mother, who was not named in the criminal complaint, called police to report the assault and tell them Sotzen may be driving while intoxicated. She told police she thought her son was going to kill her during the assault, the complaint states.

A Johnson County sheriff’s deputy located Sotzen’s car leaving the area and attempted to pull him over, but Sotzen continued driving away at high speed.

He eventually turned onto another road and pulled over, then got out of his car and knelt in the middle of the road. He was combative and showed signs of being intoxicated when officers took him into custody, according to complaints.

Sotzen had his first appearance in court Monday and is being held in the Johnson County Jail on a cash-only $30,000 bond. A no-contact order has been filed on behalf of his mother.

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