Iowa City woman charged with breaking into house, holding woman captive at gunpoint

An Iowa City woman was arrested this weekend on charges that she broke into a North Liberty woman’s residence and held her captive at gunpoint for about three hours.

Nicole Marie Ambrose, 47, is charged with first-degree burglary, false imprisonment, possession of a controlled substance, person ineligible to carry dangerous weapons, assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, fifth-degree criminal mischief, obstruction of emergency communications and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to a criminal complaint, Ambrose broke into the victim’s house on the 200 block of Holiday Lodge Road, North Liberty, at 1:20 a.m. Friday by making a hole in a screen door and then unlocking the door from the inside.

The victim woke up to Ambrose pressing a gun into her side. Ambrose asked the woman who else was in the house and took the woman’s phone so she couldn’t call the police. The victim told police Ambrose had a roll of plastic, handcuffs and a backpack that she wouldn’t let the woman look into displayed on the couch.

Ambrose held the woman hostage until about 4:45 a.m., when the woman was able to talk Ambrose into leaving, the complaint states. Police found her just before 6 a.m. in possession of a loaded gun, marijuana and a drug pipe, according to the complaint.

Ambrose had her first appearance in court Monday and was being held on $30,000 bail. A no-contact order has been filed on behalf of the victim, who is unnamed in court documents.

Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com