Indiana man involved in 2022 standoff in parking ramp could serve more than 40 years in prison
An Indiana man who shot himself in the Court Street parking ramp after a brief standoff with police has pleaded guilty and could face more than 40 years in prison.
Carldale Hunter, 34, was charged with six crimes following a December 2022 standoff when he took his wife, hostage, held a gun to her head, and threatened to kill her.
Hunter's guilty plea is on six counts which include:
Third-degree Kidnapping, a Class "C" felony
Going Armed with Intent as a Felon, a Class "D" felony
Felon in Possession of a Firearm, a Class "D" felony
Domestic Abuse or Assault Causing Bodily Injury or Mental Illness, a serious misdemeanor
Child Endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor
Second-degree Robbery, a Class "C" felony
As part of his plea deal, Hunter will not be eligible for parole for at least a decade. His sentencing is set for March 25.
Hunter tried to take family to Chicago
The charges stem from a December 2022 standoff in which police say Hunter took his wife and children from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City the night prior. He planned to eventually take them to Chicago before he was confronted by police at the Trailways Bus Station.
Hunter's wife had managed to text someone about the kidnapping and said he had a gun — that person reported the incident, police said in their report.
Police say Hunter grabbed his wife after police approached him, pointed a gun at her, and fled on foot into the Court Street Transportation Center Parking Ramp.
Hunter eventually let go of his wife and shot himself after negotiations with the police. Authorities did not specify the nature of Hunter's injury in the wake of the incident.
The University of Iowa Department of Public Safety alerted students via a HawkAlert of a man with a gun and to avoid the area around the parking ramp. UI and Iowa City police closed off portions of East Burlington Street, South Dubuque Street, and East Court Street near the parking lot, redirecting traffic.
Together, Hunter's six charges could amount to 43 years in prison and more than $6,000 in fines.
Police say Hunter violated a no-contact order more than 20 times by speaking with protected individuals while serving time in the Johnson County Jail.
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Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Indiana man pleads guilty to kidnapping, robbery after 2022 shooting