Grinnell College student allegedly assaulted and insulted by party guest

GRINNELL, Iowa — A 19-year-old Durant, Iowa man has been charged with aggravated assault after an incident that allegedly left a freshman at Grinnell College injured earlier this month.

The defendant, Noah Grage, faces a Class D felony charge of assault causing serious injury. Grage is accused of attacking Grinnell University student Kenya Taylor during a party on campus on Nov. 2, according to police and court documents. Witnesses and the victim told authorities that Grage kicked Taylor in the back, chased him and punched him. According to the criminal complaint, he broke a tooth in his mouth and chipped his lip.

The incident occurred during a party attended by Grage, who was a guest of a Grinnell College student, and allegedly followed a verbal argument in which Grage used a derogatory slur. The campus newspaper reported. Gage and a friend were reportedly broken into and escorted off campus by campus security guards.

Witnesses at the scene identified Grage as the attacker, and officers noted that his girlfriend confirmed Grage admitted to the attack, according to court documents. Investigators also obtained a short video clip of Grage leaving the scene.

Grage was arrested on November 8 and charged the next day. He was later released on $1,000 bail. The preliminary hearing, originally scheduled for November 19, was canceled by his attorney. The case will now proceed to a hearing where Grage can make a defence.

The college is investigating the incident as a “bias-motivated” assault reported on campus, according to a statement sent to students and shared with Iowa News Now. “We are asking for community support on this issue,” the email said. “We will investigate any relevant policies and legal recourse specific to this incident.”

If convicted, Grage faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,245.