Iowa City police arrested a local man after he allegedly hit his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach.

Curtis Lee Brown, 36, 1037 Cross Park Apt. A, was charged Nov. 29 with third-offense domestic-abuse assault.

According to a complaint, Brown’s girlfriend told police he struck her in the face, pulled her hair, and punched her in the stomach — knowing she was four months pregnant with their child.

Brown allegedly assaulted her while she was holding her 4-year-old, as her 2-year-old child sat on the couch watching.

The complaint said when the woman tried to call police, Brown took her phone and ran away from the residence.

Brown was charged with domestic assault while displaying a weapon in 2009 and second-offense domestic-assault in February.

Third-offense domestic-abuse assault is a class D felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $7,500.

— by Hayley Bruce