Iowa Medical and Classification Center inmate arrested after boombox assault

CORALVILLE - An Iowa Medical and Classification Center inmate is accused of assaulting a correctional officer there with a boombox.

According to a Coralville police criminal complaint, on Aug. 24 around 4:30 p.m., a corrections officer requested that 23-year-old Devontae L. Sawyers approach the unit desk inside one of the living units. The officer told Sawyers that he was being placed on a 'celled time out” for earlier disruptive behavior.

Police said Sawyers began making abusive comments toward the officer and walked away from the desk. The officer told Sawyers that if he didn't stop, he'd be placed on celled time out for the rest of the night, police said.

Sawyers allegedly responded by shouting at the officer and charging the desk. Police said Sawyers picked up a boombox and hurled it at the officer. The officer blocked the boombox with his hand and suffered a minor injury. Other corrections officers came to assist and Sawyers threatened to spit in their faces. He also allegedly told the original officer that he would be 'finding him on the outside,” police said.

Sawyers was arrested and faces one count of assault on persons in certain occupations causing bodily injury, an aggravated misdemeanor.