CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Professional wrestling star Andre the Giant was arrested in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Monday night after he choked a local television cameraman and broke the reporter's equipment.
The wrestler, whose real name is Andrea Roussimuff, 43, was arrested and charged with assault and criminal mischief after the incident at the Five Seasons Center where a WWF Championship Wrestling match had taken place.
Roussimuff had just finished a match with the Ultimate Warrior, who reportedly pinned the Giant in less than a minute, when he grabbed cameraman Ben Hildebrandt of KCRG TV of Cedar Rapids. Roussimuff grabbed Hildebrandt around the head and neck apparently in an attempt to get the camera. Roussimuff later told police he was angry because he believed Hildebrandt was not authorized to film the match.
The wrestler managed to pull the cable out of the camera. Damage to the equipment was estimated at $300.
'He obviously didn't like the camera being there,' said Glen Gardner of Iowa City radio station KRNA.
Hildebrandt was taping a special show that airs on KCRG that features Gardner and another disc jockey. Gardner said he thought Hildebrandt handled the situation well. 'He handled it quite well. He didn't give up his camera or his tape. I have to hand it to him,' Gardner said.
Capt. David Johnson of the Cedar Rapids police said Roussimuff, who reportedly weighs more than 500 pounds and measures more than 7-feet tall, had trouble fitting in the police patrol car, Johnson said.
'At first we didn't know if he could get in the back of the squad car. We were going to make arrangements to get a police van,' Johnson said.
'We have trouble getting big guys in our patrol cars and he's quite a bit bigger than our normal big guy. We had to fit him into the car sideways,' the police captain added.
The altercation occurred about shortly before 9 p.m. Monday. Police allowed Roussimuff to shower and arrested him shortly after 10 p.m., Johnson said. Ten police officers were dispatched to the civic center, but Roussimuff reportedly went peacefully.
The wrestler posted a $1,285 bond and was released that night. A spokesman for the Linn County Sheriff's Department said an appearance date would be scheduled later.
Hildebrandt was treated at a Cedar Rapids hospital after complaining about shoulder pains but did not appear to be seriously injured, witnesses said.
Neither Hildebrandt nor news director Dean Bunting of KCRG were available for comment Monday night. Gardner said Roussimuff did not apologize for the incident.
