Man chokes and runs over ex-girlfriend while holding her against will, Iowa cops say

A woman was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend and seriously injured during a series of assaults, Iowa police say.

The Des Moines Police Department said the 32-year-old woman was dropped off at Clark County Hospital at 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. Her injuries were so severe that she needed to be transferred to a Des Moines hospital for surgery.

The investigation revealed the woman was “bound with duct tape and kidnapped from her Des Moines home by her ex-boyfriend” at 2:30 a.m. Saturday, police said in a Dec. 4 news release.

She was moved to a home in nearby Indianola, where she was held against her will over the course of the day, according to police.

“The victim was later placed into a vehicle and transported to an unknown location outside of Indianola, where she was forced out of the vehicle,” police said. “The victim was then choked, run over by the vehicle and had her throat cut.”

She begged for her ex-boyfriend to stop before she eventually was dropped off “in the street” at the hospital, authorities said.

The 40-year-old ex-boyfriend was arrested Sunday and charged with first-degree kidnapping, willful injury and violation of a no-contact order, police said. A 34-year-old woman believed to be a co-conspirator was also charged with kidnapping, officers said.

Police said the victim remained hospitalized as of Monday and was recovering after undergoing surgery.

“We’re pleased she’s alive and relieved that she’s going to recover,” Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek told KCCI. “But this is probably one of the more serious crimes and brutal crimes that we’ve seen in a while.”

This story was originally published December 5, 2023 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Man chokes and runs over ex-girlfriend while holding her against will, Iowa cops say."