B.A. MORELLI • IOWA CITY PRESS-CITIZEN • JANUARY 15, 2010

An intoxicated Iowa City man dressed like a cowboy allegedly broke into a house and threatened to kill the residents' dog early Thursday morning, according to Iowa City police reports.

Derrick Thomas Alger, 24, of 889 Park Place, was arrested on four charges, including trespass, intoxication and carrying a dangerous weapon, on early Thursday morning. The most serious charge was intimidation with a dangerous weapon, a class "D" felony. The other charges were misdemeanors.

According to the timeline laid out in four police reports, at about 12:55 a.m. Thursday, a man described as wearing shorts and a cowboy hat displayed a gun to a cab driver and threatened to use the gun against him.

The suspect, later identified by police to be Alger, fled the scene as the victim called 911, according to police.

At about 1:05 a.m. Thursday, Alger entered the rear door of a private residence, 612 Manor Drive, and confronted the residents inside, according to police.

"Who the (expletive) are you?" Alger yelled at the residents, according to police.

The residents' dog began barking, and Alger threatened to kill the dog, according to police. Alger was eventually persuaded that he was in the wrong house, according to police.

"Residents were frightened by his behavior," according to police.

Police, who were in the area investigating calls related to the cab incident and the possible robbery, found a man matching the description given by the victims at the back door of 612 Manor Drive at about 1:21 a.m., according to police. He had a strong odor of alcohol, poor balance and slurred speech, according to police.

Alger's blood alcohol level tested at .312, according to police.

Alger admitted to carrying an unloaded .22 pistol, which he pulled from his "cowboy-style boot," according to police.

Through the series of events, Alger apparently lost his black cowboy hat, but the hat was located on Rocky Shore Drive, according to police.

Alger was released from the Johnson County Jail on Thursday. He has an unlisted telephone number and could not be reached for comment.