A local man has been charged with assault after allegedly pulling his wife’s hair and slapping her.

Christian Pena, 36, was charged with domestic-abuse assault for allegedly slapping his wife on Oct. 21, 2012.

According to an Iowa City police complaint, the woman and a witness said Pena kneed his wife in the chest, pulled her hair, and struck her in the face. Pena fled the scene before officers arrived, the complaint said.

Pena was convicted of a similar charge in California on Feb. 4, 2006.

Second-offense domestic-abuse assault is a serious misdemeanor.