Lang
2/12/26
An Iowa City woman is accused of assaulting a police officer after she was kicked off a bus.
Iowa City Police say 25-year-old Ben’Yana Harper of the Town & Campus Apartments on Arthur Street was asked to leave an Iowa City Transit bus parked at the downtown interchange on East Washington Street due to her use of profanity. Harper was reportedly dragged off the bus by another rider, then re-boarded it to charge at the driver while yelling at him. An arriving officer told her she was under arrest, and Harper allegedly physically resisted being taken into custody.
Police say Harper had to be dragged to the squad car while she kicked two officers and yelled that she was about to “do something crazy”.
Harper is charged with Assault on Persons in Certain Occupations, Interference With Official Acts, and Trespassing. If convicted on all counts, she faces a maximum of 25 months in jail.