Iowa City man arrested after allegedly beating a man with a baseball bat, public intoxication

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - An Iowa City man is facing multiple charges after police say he beat someone with a baseball bat and later resisted arrest, spitting on an officer, when police tried to take him into custody for public intoxication.

Mark Staley, 58, of Iowa City, faces charges of willful injury - causing serious injury, going armed with intent, carrying weapons, assault on a peace officer, public intoxication and interference with official acts.

In a criminal complaint, police said Staley got into an altercation with the victim on Sunday, then, hours later, went into the victim’s apartment and hit them with a baseball bat multiple times. The victim was taken to the hospital for multiple injuries to his head, face and legs.

In a criminal complaint, police said Staley denied having ever had a baseball bat, but security cameras show him entering the apartment carrying the bat. Police said Staley later hid the bat in his closet.

Later that night, just before 3 a.m. on Monday, police were called to Cross Park Place, for a report of Staley screaming and keeping the residents awake.

When they arrived, police said they found Staley with a half empty bottle of whiskey in his hands.

When police tried to arrest him for public intoxication, they said he resisted, spitting in an officer’s face. Police had to use pepper spray to subdue Staley and place him in handcuffs.

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