Sioux City police: Garden gnome used in early morning assault

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A garden gnome was used as a weapon during an early morning assault in Sioux City, police said.

Sioux City police responded to a call at around 7:42 a.m. on Thursday for a disturbance that occurred at a residence on the 400 block of Pierce Street, court documents state.

When police arrived at the scene, they found that the door of the apartment they were called to had been destroyed. Police were told that the door had been kicked in.

After speaking with the victim of an assault that occurred at the residence, police learned that Estacio Loera, 20, of Sioux City, had been at the apartment the night before the incident, but left upset when the victim was visited by a friend, according to court documents.

The documents state that Loera returned in the morning and assaulted the victim. The victim told officials that Loera had thrown numerous objects at them, including a garden gnome, which caused a laceration above the victim’s eye.

The suspect had fled the scene before police arrived but was able to be located a short time after.

Loera has been formally charged with 1st-degree burglary and first-degree domestic abuse assault with intent to inflict serious injury.

Loera is scheduled to appear in court on July 29 at 9 a.m. and is being held in the Woodbury County Jail on a $26,000 bond.

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