Iowa Principal Arrested, Threatened To ‘Slit A Woman’s Throat And Watch Her Die’

An Iowa principal is facing charges after a heated exchange.

Information from the Linn County Jail shows that on Saturday, Justin Blietz, 41, was arrested for threats he allegedly made to a woman. He's the principal of Cedar Rapids Prep, a public charter middle school in Cedar Rapids.

A complaint said Blietz "threatened to slit a woman’s throat and watch her die".

He's charged with first-degree harassment, threatening a forcible felony.

School officials confirmed he has been placed on administrative leave. No return date has been announced yet. Cedar Rapids Prep's website says that Blietz has 15 years of education experience in schools, including 7 years in leadership positions.

Meanwhile, in an email sent to Cedar Rapids Prep parents, it was announced who would be stepping in the principal position for the interim. James Troupis, Chief of Schools for Opportunity Education (the private organization that runs the school) said he will take over leadership of Cedar Rapids Prep, at the request of the Board.

There's still a lot about the incriminating situation that hasn't been made known. As for the context in which Blietz was using the phrase or what was happening at the time, those details have not been publicly released yet. A court date has also not been announced for the case.

Typically considered an aggravated misdemeanor, consequences for first-degree harassment (which involves the threat to commit a forcible felony) in Iowa can range in severity. A convicted offender can deal with penalties including up to 2 years in jail and fines anywhere from $855-$8,540.