Iowa City police plan to charge attacker with attempted murder

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Iowa City police say they plan to charge a man who tried to strangle a police officer with attempted murder as soon as they can find him.

The department said Tuesday the officer who was choked and suffered scrapes, cuts and bruises during the attack early Nov. 18 has returned to work. Police said three men who witnessed the attack have been identified, and investigators are still searching for the assailant.

The officer had stopped to talk to the man because he was disrupting traffic. They got into a struggle, with the man choking the officer before fleeing.

The Iowa City Police Association and Iowa City Crime Stoppers have each offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Police plan to distribute reward posters in downtown Iowa City.