Adam Sotzen, Cedar Rapids, Iowa man uses American Flag to strangle, assault woman, tells her ‘you need to die!’ before then assaulting boyfriend who tried to intervene. Arrested and charged with multiple offences.
An Iowa man is accused of attacking a woman and attempting to strangle her with an American flag, before her boyfriend intervening, only for the man to then be assaulted.
Adam Sotzen, 39, of Cedar Rapids is alleged to have driven to a woman’s home in North Liberty early Monday morning and yelling at her over a prior dispute while destroying her property. He then allegedly removed a US flag from a nearby home and turned it into a rope, using it to strangle the victim, according to a criminal complaint obtained by KCRG.
While choking the victim with the flag, Sotzen allegedly repeatedly said, ‘you need to die.’ The victim’s boyfriend then stepped in to free her, before Sotzen punching him in the ribs and the face, leaving the man bloodied.
History of prior bad behavior
Sotzen fled the scene only to be arrested shortly after the couple calling police, warning officers that he may be driving under the influence.
Police was booked with multiple crimes, including assault with intent to inflict serious injury, harassment, and operating while under the influence.
During the strangulation attack on the woman, the victim said she feared for her life because she knew Sotzen was capable of killing her.
The woman’s nationality and heritage was not immediately known.
In 2012, Sotzen served time for an unspecified ‘serious misdemeanor,’ according to state prison records.
