Iowa State defensive back suspended after domestic assault arrest
![Iowa State defensive back Mike Johnson is being held in Story County after a domestic assault arrest Thursday morning.](https://iowastatedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/1f38488015720b67e76c873eb438aa7f.jpg)
Iowa State defensive back Mike Johnson is being held in Story County after a domestic assault arrest Thursday morning.
February 23, 2017
Iowa State defensive back Mike Johnson has been suspended indefinitely after being arrested on a domestic assault charge Thursday morning.
Johnson, 22, is being held on $7,000 bond in Story County jail for domestic assault and strangulation with injury charges — a Class D felony — according to the Story County inmate listing.
A Class D felony is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell released a statement on Johnson on Thursday morning.
“We are aware of Mike Johnson’s arrest and the allegations associated with his arrest,” Campbell said in the release. “Our program has zero tolerance for domestic violence. Mike has been suspended from all team activities, including practice, under the student-athlete code of conduct policy as we gather more information. His long term status with the team will be determined once we gain more facts.”
The Iowa State Police Department responded to a call about a fight at about 1:17 a.m. Thursday at the 35 block of Frederiksen Court.
Johnson and the reported victim got into a fight over social media posts which led to them breaking each other’s cell phones, according to the report.
The reported victim said Johnson tried to strangle her to the point where she “saw stars,” according to the report.
The report stated the reported victim had a swollen upper lip, a nickel-sized bruise on her right cheek and two red marks behind her left ear and the back of her head. She also had blood on her right hand and “red” and “darkened” marks on her neck.
Johnson said he “had to push the victim away, hold her back, and stop her” to prevent her from breaking his laptop. Johnson had a laceration on his left hand and claimed the reported victim bit him, according to the report.
The reported victim was initially hesitant to tell ISU Police details of the altercation, saying she “didn’t want [Johnson] to lose what he has going in his athletic career.”
Johnson was arrested about an hour after the call, at 2:17 a.m., according to ISU Police.
Johnson, a Clearwater, Florida, native, is entering his redshirt sophomore season. He started eight games for the Cyclones last season, racking up 44 tackles and three pass breakups.