Iowa City Police: Man Broke Down Door, Smashed Woman's Head Through Drywood Wall in Front of Child During Domestic Dispute

An argument between an Iowa City couple allegedly turned physical Thursday morning, unfortunately in the presence of a 15-month-old child.

According to Iowa City Police complaints, officers were called at 11:09 a.m. on Monday morning to an address on the 900 block of Hudson Avenue for the report that a man involved in a domestic dispute was attempting to break down a bedroom door with a woman inside.

Dispatch advised the officers that they could hear the man, later identified as Emmanuel Vance Harvey Jr., 20, of that same address, gaining access to the woman's bedroom and begin to hit her. Dispatch also advised that a small child was crying during the assault according to the complaint.

Once the officer arrived on scene, Harvey was taken into custody outside the residence. Harvey initially refused to follow officer commands and stop for the officer until he was threatened by a Taser, according to the complaint. He had a wound on his face that appeared as if he had just been in a fight.

The officers spoke with the woman, who had visible injuries to her neck, arm, and face and complained of pain to her head, according to the complaint. The woman said that she and Harvey had been in an argument over "a phone and another woman" when it took a turn for the worse. As the fight escalated and the woman fled to the bedroom, Harvey had allegedly broken down the bedroom door, hit the woman several times, and shoved her head through the nearby drywall, creating a hole. 

This was all done in front of the couple's 15-month-old daughter, who Harvey took outside away from the commotion, allegedly without the proper winter garments, after the fight, before bringing her back inside.

Harvey was charged with domestic abuse without intent causing injury, a serious misdemeanor; child endangerment with no injury, an aggravated misdemeanor; and obstructing officers, another misdemeanor.

Harvey is currently in the Johnson County Jail on $7,500 cash-only bond.