Iowa City Man Arrested After Terrorizing Two Women at Gunpoint

Two women escaped with only minor injuries after a frightening situation Sunday morning that resulted in the arrest of an Iowa City man armed with a rifle.

Police say Cheaster Eric Aston Snagg, 22, of 1100 Arthur Street #G1, now faces a bevy of charges after he allegedly, while armed with a rifle, approached two women sitting in a vehicle at 1100 Hollywood Boulevard. Police say that Snagg then punched one of the woman several times, threatened the pair with the rifle, and forced them to drive him to his residence on Arthur Street, continuing to threaten the pair on the way.

Update (June 27 2:09 p.m.) According to criminal complaints, Snagg has a child with the woman he attacked, and he was allegedly angry with her for telling other men something about him that had caused them to confront him. According to the complaint he told her: "I'll end up shutting your mouth permanently."

Upon examination by officers, the injured woman was found to have a swollen and bruised left eye.

Police were alerted to the confrontation at 4:14 a.m. when one of the two women, the one who had not been injured by Snagg, was able to slip away from the house and call 911. Once there, the officers arrested Snagg inside without incident, but in possession of ammo. Officers also found the other woman inside with no additional injuries.

After obtaining a search warrant for the house, officers found the rifle that was allegedly used in the incident.

Police say Stagg has now been charged with the following for the incident:

First-degree burglary, a class B Felony.

Possession of a firearm as a felon, a class D Felony.

Assault while participating in a felony, a class D Felony.

Domestic Assault causing with injury while displaying a weapon, an aggravated misdemeanor.

First-degree harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor.

Public Intoxication-a simple misdemeanor.

These charges are in addition to a felony conviction for second-degree robbery from a 2006 arrest in Iowa City and another felony conviction for a second-degree burglary conviction from a 2008 Iowa City arrest.