Update: Urbandale Man Charged with Attempted Murder in Iowa City Police Officer Assault Case

Update: Nov 30, 12:04 p.m.

Iowa City police say they have arrested the man they believe is responsible for assaulting and choking a veteran police officer on the morning of Nov. 18.

Police have charged Branden Lee Plummer, 20, of Iowa City with attempted murder, a class B felony, for the assault on the officer. The officer was Sgt. Brian Krei. He has since returned to duty, according to the news release.

A class "B" felony and carries up to 25 year prison sentence.

Police say a tip called into the Iowa City Area CrimeStoppers led to the arrest of Plummer, who was found on Tuesday at his residence and arrested without incident.

A Branden L. Plummer is in the University of Iowa directory as being a student from Urbandale.

A criminal complaint released by the Iowa City Police Department indicated that there were several witnesses of the assault.

According to the complaint, Plummer is accused of getting behind Krei and applying a choke with his forearm, grabbing his own wrist to apply more pressure. Krei had allegedly attempted to stop and apprehend Plummer after he was seen disrupting traffic

According to the complaint, one witness physically intervened to assist Krei during the assault and called 911. This witness claimed that Plummer slammed Krei's head into the ground and told the witness not to call 911.

Another witness described Plummer allegedly choking a bleeding Krei, while Krei's face turned red and he was seen clearly gasping for air. Another witness said that Plummer allegedly used a scissor choke to pull Krei off the ground, and used the squad car as leverage as he continued to apply the choke.

According to the complaint, the witnesses agreed the assailant, allegedly Plummer, was in control of Krei during the incident and was hitting him hard.

According to the Gazette, at Plummer's initial court appearance today, his hearing was set for Dec. 12. His bond has been set at $100,000.

(Previous coverage)

A Chilling Account of the Assault

Disturbing video from Iowa City police appears to capture the sounds of a city police officer being strangled, while a Good Samaratin begs the assailant to let the officer go.

The video begins as a man is hustling across Linn Street at the Burlington Street intersection at about 2:10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18. The squad car stops and then the audio kicks in after about 10 seconds. The rest of the video is largely visually stagnant, but the audio paints a picture of the .

That struggle goes on nearly two full minutes.

To see the video and hear the audio, click on the picture with the arrow to the right.

First, the officer asks for identification. The man refuses. Then the man tries to get away, according to police. Off camera but with sound capturing the confrontation, the officer stops him. Then, according to police, the suspect gets behind the officer, wraps his arm around his neck and chokes him. The officer, who suffered cuts and bruises, is bleeding.

It is hard to tell what is happening off camera, but the audio includes this from a passerby who tries to intervene: "Stop. There is blood everywhere. Just let him go. Stop. No. Seriously. Stop. Seriously. You're really drunk. Let him go. Let him go. Stop. Oh my God. I will call 911 ... He is bleeding. Why are you doing this?"

"Stop! Let him go! Stop! Let him go!" the woman screams more and more loudly.

A male voice, apparently the assailant, says, "Go ahead. Call 911. Call it."

A third voice, apparently the officer, gasps, "Help. Help."

The video captured a shirtless man leaned up against the squad car but not much else visually. At the end of the video, three young men appear to stop to ask the officer if he is OK. 

By then, the suspect had fled southbound and entered the Mega Bite restaurant located at 335 S. Gilbert St., according to police. Police say his image was captured on the business' surveillance system.

Police are still trying to find the man and are asking for help from the public. The suspect is described as a white man in his early 20's, approximately 6-foot-1 to 6-foot-2, with a thin build and short brown hair. He was wearing blue jeans and white shoes. Prior to the incident he was wearing a dark gray T-shirt, but it was torn off during the fight and he ran bare-chested from the scene.

Police announced they are planning to file attempt to commit murder charges when they apprehend the suspect. That is a class "B" felony and carries up to a 25 year prison sentence.

A $2,000 reward is also being offered for his capture.

According to police, the officer was on a routine patrol when he observed a man disrupting traffic.

Police say the officer, a 29-year veteran, suffered a laceration to his head, scrapes on his hands and legs and bruising to his neck and throat, and was treated at a local hospital and released.

The officer has returned to full duty, according to police.

Police reviewed available evidence with the Johnson County Attorney's Office a determined the appropriate charge when the suspect is apprehended is attempt to commit murder.

Iowa City Crime Stoppers has guaranteed a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of this subject. Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact CrimeStoppers at 358-TIPS (8477). All calls are held in strict confidence and anonymity is guaranteed. Individuals providing information do not have to reveal their identity to collect a reward.

The Iowa City Police Association-Local 16 has guaranteed an additional $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of this suspect.