Iowa City man accused of driving into five people following dispute

A 29-year-old Iowa City man faces third-offense drunken driving and various assault charges after police say he intentionally drove into a group of five people on a street corner Friday night.

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Roman A. Aguilar Ventura, of 2018 Waterfront Dr., Lot 92, is accused of third-offense drunken driving, five counts of willful injury resulting in injury, five counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, leaving the scene of an accident with injury, driving while barred and driving while a license was suspended.

Police say Aguilar Ventura was operating a vehicle near the intersection of Southgate Avenue and Waterfront Drive around 10:42 p.m. Friday night when he intentionally drove into a group of five people following a dispute. He then fled the scene. Police found the car in the incident a short distance away and found Aguilar Ventura at his residence, where he was taken into custody.

Aguilar Ventura, who remains jailed in the Johnson County Jail in lieu of a $35,000 cash bail, is also being held on an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer, jail records show.

The injuries the group sustained in the incident appear to be minor, criminal complaints show, ranging from a cut to a leg and swollen back of the neck, with two others complaining of pain from being struck with a vehicle.