Iowa’s Riverside Casino Site of Domestic Violence Incident

Posted on: September 13, 2021, 09:17h. 

Last updated on: September 13, 2021, 12:16h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A domestic abuse case recently erupted at Iowa’s Riverside Casino and Golf Resort. During an altercation, a man allegedly struck a woman after getting into a dispute at the gaming property’s entrance.

The case was turned over to a local court
Lucas Benjamin Leonhard, pictured above in his mug shot. He was charged by local police after a domestic abuse incident at Iowa’s Riverside Casino. (Image: Washington County Sheriff’s Office)

Lucas Benjamin Leonhard, 36, of Davenport, Iowa was charged with third-degree domestic abuse and violating a protection order. The order prevented him from interacting with the victim, according to the Muscatine Journal.

The case was turned over to a local court after last week’s incident. He was released on a promise to appear in court.

The confrontation was videotaped on casino surveillance cameras. Gaming property security officers contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies later located Leonhard and he was charged. The victim did not appear to be seriously injured.

Prior Arrests

This was not the first such incident involving Leonhard. In 2017, he was sentenced to up to five years in prison in Muscatine County for a domestic abuse assault, a report said.

Leonhard had choked a woman, police said. She suffered injuries.

Also, on June 10 he was arrested for domestic abuse assault, violation of a no-contact order, contempt, and child endangerment in Muscatine, the report adds.

Domestic Violence at Other Casinos

Casinos have been the backdrop to other domestic violence in recent years.

In 2019 Odubel Herrera, an outfielder with the Philadelphia Phillies was placed on leave by Major League Baseball after police arrested him in a domestic violence case at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

The victim was a 20-year-old woman who was Herrera’s girlfriend. She suffered injuries on her arms and neck after an alleged assault, Atlantic City police said. He was charged with assault, police said. But eventually, the victim decided to drop charges against Herrera.

In July, Dwayne Haskins, who plays football for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was allegedly struck by his wife at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino.

Kalabrya Gondrezick-Haskins allegedly assaulted him in the face, police said. He suffered a cut lip and a tooth fell out of his mouth. He was given stitches at a hospital, NBC News reported. She was charged with battery.

In another incident, a 43-year-old East Moline, Ill. man was arrested in April after allegedly chasing a woman inside and outside of an Iowa casino.

Jeromy Anderson was armed with an ax and a knife during the incident. The episode took place at Davenport’s Rhythm City Casino. Anderson was charged with going armed with intent, carrying a weapon, disorderly conduct, and domestic abuse — assault with intent or weapon, according to WHBF, an Illinois TV station.

Anderson was allegedly holding the ax and shouting at the woman in the casino parking lot when police officers arrived, WHBF reported. The case is pending in local court.