West Liberty man gets probation for stabbing outside Iowa City bar

A West Liberty man who was charged last summer with stabbing a person outside a bar in downtown Iowa City received probation this week on a lesser charge.

Lake M. Newton, 22, originally charged with willful injury causing serious injury, pleaded in April to assault with intent to inflict serious injury, an aggravated misdemeanor.

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Sixth Judicial Associate District Judge Jason Burns on Thursday gave Newton a two-year suspended sentence, a deferred judgment and two years of probation. If Newton successfully completes his probation without serious violations, he could have his record expunged.

On May 11, 2023, Iowa police said 10 or more people were involved in a fight about 1:55 a.m. in the 300 block of S. Gilbert Street that spilled into the street outside the Bardot Iowa bar. Multiple people fled when officers arrived.

The three individuals who were stabbed — police declined to identify them — were taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for treatment.

According to a criminal complaint, Newton was participating in the fight and was seen on multiple witnesses’ videos throwing punches, holding one victim so he could be attacked and body-slamming the victim, knocking him unconscious. Newton then stabbed the victim numerous times, the complaint stated.

Victor Torres Molina, 29, of Iowa City, also was charged in the fight with assault while participating in a felony and participating in the riot, both felonies.

A criminal complaint stated Torres Molina was participating in the fight and was identified by numerous witnesses and a video showing him kicking a person on the ground. He admitted to kicking a person on the ground but denied stabbing anyone, according to a complaint.

Torres Molina has a pretrial hearing in August and no new trial date set yet.

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