Hunter
07/3/25
An area transient has become one of the first people in Iowa to face an enhanced penalty for an assault on an officer.
Just before 8pm Tuesday, 34-year-old Adam Christenson was on the 200 block of East Washington Street. He was reportedly observed yelling and being unpleasant to people walking by. An officer approached and allegedly observed multiple opened containers of alcohol, and the odor of alcohol coming from Christensen’s person.
He was told that he was being placed under arrest. An officer had ahold of Christians0n’s wrist, and he reportedly began to pull away. He then allegedly began to swing his arms and hit the officer multiple times, causing bodily injury.
Effective July 1st, a new law went into effect increasing penalties for assaults against law enforcement officers that suffer bodily injury. As a result, Christianson was charged with a Class D felony for allegedly inflicting bodily injury on the officer. He was also charged with Public Intoxication, Interference with Official Acts causing Bodily Injury, and for an open container violation. If convicted on all counts, Christianson could be sentenced to over six years in prison.