Man cut down face during late-night Cedar Rapids assault

A Cedar Rapids man had to have stitches to mend a cut to his face after he was assaulted late Sunday, police said.

Officers were called around 10:55 p.m. Sunday to Mercy Medical Center where they met with Richard Karr Jr., 42. He told police it all started when he had a verbal argument with a female friend.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin, a police spokeswoman, said the argument started at Karr's residence, 1714 10th Ave. SW, and continued as Karr drove the woman home. She said the woman told her roommate about the argument when she arrived home, and the roommate, Jeanine A. Duffy, went to confront Karr at his house.

Duffy, 45, swung her fist at Karr when he opened the door, and cut him with a “box cutter-style blade,” according to the police report. It caused a laceration from Karr's nose to his chin, police said.

A neighbor took Karr to Mercy Medical Center, and the hospital alerted police. Officers arrested Duffy about 90 minutes later at her residence, 1201 15th St. SE, on suspicion of willful injury.

Karr was treated and released from the hospital, police said.

“I don't think he ever saw what what it was she was swinging with,” Hamblin said.

There was no indication in the police report what sparked the argument or Duffy's response. Hamblin said Karr and the woman who had the initial argument were once in a relationship, but were not currently. Police refused to identify the woman.

Duffy was taken to the Linn County Jail and was expected to be before a judge Monday morning.