An Ohio woman is facing a felony assault charge after she was accused of attacking a bar patron with a knife in northeast Iowa.
West Union Police say an officer was dispatched to a local establishment about an altercation involving a knife resulting in a stabbing, shortly before 1 am Sunday (10.02) morning. Their initial investigation led to an attempt to locate an out-of-state visitor potentially accompanied by a West Union local.
That search led to the arrest of 45-year-old Christy Wark of Canal Winchester, Ohio, and 50-year-old Douglas Ramer Jr. of West Union. Wark has been charged with willful injury with serious injury, a Class C felony. Ramer has been charged with interference of official acts, a simple misdemeanor.
According to criminal complaints, Wark and Ramer were at Top Hat Tavern in West Union when they went outside to smoke. When they returned inside, witnesses say Wark became agitated and aggressive because someone had taken her seat at the bar.
She then allegedly drew a knife with the blade out. When the male victim attempted to grab Wark’s hand to protect anyone from being injured, he was cut on his finger, which required stitches and a splint at Gunderson Hospital in West Union.
When law enforcement later located Wark and Ramer at Ramer’s residence in West Union, he allegedly told her repeatedly to not go to the door or let officers enter. A Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy then contacted Wark’s daughter who advised her mother to open the door and both her and Ramer were taken into custody.
Wark is being held in the Fayette County Jail on $10,000 cash or surety bond, with 10% acceptable. Both Wark and Ramer are scheduled for preliminary hearings on November 12th in Fayette County District Court, with Ramer also slated for a non-jury trial on January 14, 2026.
