Man Charged with Assaulting Co-worker with 'Dead Blow' Hammer in Bettendorf

A Davenport man is under arrest after police say he hit a co-worker repeatedly in the face with a dead blow hammer Wednesday night at a Bettendorf business.

Investigators say 34 year old Larry Alvin Crane Jr. was booked into the Scott County Jail on charges of willful injury causing serious injury and assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Bond was set at $50,00 Thursday morning and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 24th.

The assault reportedly happened around 10:00 Wednesday night at Greystone Manufacturing. Police say Crane walked up to a co-worker from behind and hit him repeatedly in the face with a dead blow hammer. After falling to the ground, Crane is accused of continually hitting the man with the hammer, then leaving the business to go home.

The man was initially transported to Genesis Medical Center with serious injuries and then later transferred to University Hospitals in Iowa City.

Officers located Crane at home, where he claimed he hit the man with closed fists in self-defense and that the man attempted to cut him with a knife. He denied using a weapon.

“Based on victim statements, witness statements, and video surveillance, the attack was unprovoked and there was no conversation that took place between the victim or the defendant, nor was there an assault that occurred by the victim against the defendant,” Bettendorf police said in the arrest affidavit.

The hammer was not located. Police said in the affidavit that Crane has previously served prison time for assault.


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