Hunter
09/01/25
An Iowa City man wanted on an OWI charge from earlier this year was arrested Saturday night after an alleged assault on a woman who has a no-contact order against him.
According to police, 30-year-old Luis Betanco Martinez of the Iowa River Mobile Home Community assaulted the woman at his residence. During the incident, he allegedly pushed the woman against a TV stand with such force that it caused a bruise across her chest.
The no-contact order was issued December 1st last year; the assault reportedly took place in front of the woman’s son.
Betanco Martinez was wanted for an OWI incident from the early morning hours of February 2nd, when he crashed his vehicle into a rocky area near the Iowa River, despite no roadway, environmental or traffic factors that would have contributed to the accident. He was seriously injured and hospitalized. Betanco Martinez was identified from previous booking photos and documents in the vehicle. The vehicle reportedly had containers of alcohol inside and he allegedly had the odor of ingested alcohol.
At the hospital, a doctor certified that Betanco Martinez was unconscious and a blood specimen was drawn. Lab results showed his blood-alcohol level at the time at .126 percent.
Betanco Martinez was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault causing Injury, violation of the No-Contact order, and Child Endangerment for Saturday’s incident. He was additionally charged with OWI first offense, driving while revoked, driving while suspended, and failure to maintain control for the February accident. Combined, Betanco Martinez could be sentenced to a maximum five years in prison if convicted on all counts.