Iowa City Police: Man Fights with Officer, Hurls Racial Slurs

An Iowa City man is facing several criminal charges after allegedly he injured an officer and hurled a racist slur.

According to Iowa City Police complaints, on Sunday, Sept. 2, at 1:45 a.m. police responded to a call of a fight in progress in the alley south of Iowa Avenue in downtown Iowa City. One of those allegedly involved in the fight was Patrick Leslie Horras, 22, of Iowa City.

When officers arrived, several people at the scene pointed out Horras as one of the people involved in the fight. According to police, Horras then ran from officers before being apprehended quickly after.

Police told Horras that he should get up and walk with them to the ambulance so he could be checked out for his injuries, but Horras refused to get up, according to the complaint. He also struggled against being handcuffed, according to police.

After they helped to him his feet and started to guide him to the ambulance, Horras then started to drag his feet, then dropping all of his 245 pounds of body weight to the gound and refusing to the walk, kicking out at the officer several times. As Horras attempted to kick the officer, they became tangled and the two officers and Horras fell to the ground, twisting his wrist, causing pain and stiffness in the joint. 

While waiting for emergency personnel to show up to tend his wounds, Horras allegedly turned to one of the officers, an African American, and uttered a racial epithet. He also allegedly said, "My grandfather owned your grandfather." The officer noted that this was said loudly enough that it offended several people in the area.

When ambulance staff arrived Horras then allegedly directed obscenities their way as well, kicking several paramedics and saying "I will not stop fighting." Horras then had to be sedated as he began to resist efforts to treat him. Horras' behavior allegedly continued throughout the entire trip to the emergency treatment center.

In total, it took three officers and five emergency responders working together to deal with Horras.

Horras was charged with several counts of assault on a peace officer, interference with official acts with bodily injury, interference with official acts, and one count each of alcohol violaton as a habitual offender, and disorderly conduct -- abusive ephithets/threat gesture.