School Principal Arrested. Allegedly Tells Woman He Would ‘Slit’ Her Throat and ‘Watch Her Die.’

Justin Blietz, the 40-year-old founding principal of Cedar Rapids Prep, a public charter middle school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was arrested on March 14th on a charge of first-degree harassment, according to court records and local reports.

Police say Blietz threatened a woman, telling her he would slit her throat and watch her die. The exact words from the criminal complaint, as reported by outlets including The Gazette and KCRG.

The incident happened amid ongoing divorce proceedings with his wife. She had filed a petition for relief from domestic abuse back in March 2025, but it was dismissed without prejudice in April that year. Then, just two days after his arrest on March 14th, she filed another protective order against him on March 16th, per Linn County court records.
Blietz was booked into the Linn County Jail on Saturday, March 14th, and released the next day on his own recognizance. Cedar Rapids police handled the arrest, though they haven’t released more details when contacted by media.
After the news broke, Opportunity Education, the organization that oversees the charter school, put Blietz on administrative leave. The school didn’t offer further comment.