A West Branch man was charged Sept. 9 after an alleged altercation with his wife.

According to a series of Iowa City police complaints, Ryan Butler, 26, was charged after officers responded to the Yacht Club, 13 S. Linn St., after receiving a report of a fight in progress. According to the complaints, Ryan had a bloody nose when officers arrived. He stated that his wife had bitten him, according to the complaints.

The complaints said Butler’s wife told officers that she and Butler had engaged in a verbal argument with another subject at the bar. Butler allegedly became upset, grabbed his wife’s hair, and began to yell at her, according to the complaints.

Butler’s wife said she bit him to get him off of her, according to the complaints. After she bit him, he allegedly threw her to the ground. The complaints said several witnesses observed the fight and told similar stories to the one recounted by Butler’s wife.

Butler allegedly exhibited bloodshot, watery eyes and slurred speech. He refused a breath test. The complaints said Butler has two previous domestic-assault convictions.

Butler is charged with third-offense domestic-abuse assault, a Class-D felony, and public intoxication, a simple misdemeanor.

— by Matt Starns