Police: Intoxicated Transient Threatens to Slit Woman's Throat with Knife on Iowa River Bridge

A local transient with a long history of intoxication arrests was arrested for first-degree harassment after he allegedly threatened a woman with a knife early Saturday morning.

According to Iowa City Police complaints, on July 27 at 12:04 a.m. police responded to the Iowa River Bridge for the report of a man, later identified as Gary Lee Oldaker, 48, no address, allegedly threatening a woman with a knife. The woman and other witnesses told police that Oldaker had threatened to "slit her throat and throw her in the river," according to the complaint. 

Upon coming into contact with Oldaker, officers report noticing a smell of alcohol from his person. He had blood shot eyes, slurred speech, and was unable to stand or walk properly, according to the complaint.

Oldaker was then transported by emergency personnel to the Emergency Treatment Center (ETC) at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to be treated with an alcohol detox. Oldaker had been convicted for public intoxication six times prior to the arrest.

Oldaker was charged with the harassment charge, an aggravated misdemeanor, as well as public intoxication habitual offender, also an aggravated misdemeanor. He was booked into the Johnson County Jail yesterday and remains there on $15,000 bail.