An Altoona man was arrested Friday in connection with a January incident in which he allegedly assaulted a Des Moines woman in Urbandale and tried to run her over twice.
Luis Rodriguez Ramirez, 39, of 104 Fifth Ave. N.W., Altoona, was charged with first-offense domestic abuse assault-display or use of a weapon, second-offense domestic abuse assault-bodily injury or mental illness and first-degree harassment.
The incident began about 10:45 p.m. on Jan. 4 in the 4400 block of 142nd Street in Urbandale, where officers of the Urbandale Police Department responded to a report of a domestic disturbance.
The officers made contact with the victim, who told the officers that Rodriguez Ramirez “attempted to strike the victim twice with” a 2017 Volkwagen GTI, according to court records.
A witness told the officers that “as the victim was attempting to cross the roadway,” Rodriguez Ramirez began “accelerating toward the victim as if to strike the victim with the vehicle,” and “the victim had to dive out of the way to avoid being struck,” according to court records.
The victim “had video footage of the incident that aligns with the observations made by the witness,” according to court records.
The victim told the officers that after almost being run over, she was then “struck approximately three times on the head with a closed fist” by Rodriguez Ramirez, according to court records.
The victim said Rodriguez Ramirez “then returned to his vehicle and conducted a U-turn and again accelerated toward the victim to attempt to strike the victim a second time with his vehicle,” according to court records.
Rodriguez Ramirez is held in the Dallas County Jail on a $5,000 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Feb. 11 in Dallas County District Court.
Rodriguez Ramirez was convicted of domestic abuse assault-impeding flow of air/blood and stalking in 2021 in Polk County District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
