Montana GOP senator accused of assaulting wife with ‘physical force’ and resisting arrest

[unhappycamper]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/04/montana-gop-senator-accused-of-assaulting-wife-with-physical-force-and-resisting-arrest/



Montana GOP senator accused of assaulting wife with ‘physical force’ and resisting arrest
By David Edwards
Tuesday, February 4, 2014 11:59 EST

Police in Montana arrested a Republican state senator for allegedly assaulting his wife and then resisting arrest.

According to a complaint filed by the Red Lodge Police department, 45-year-old state Sen. Jason Priest (R) “used physical force to push wife away” on Saturday. Officers responding to the scene said that Priest fought with them as they tried to arrest him.

~snip~

A judge granted Red Lodge City Attorney Hope Freeman’s request that information about Priest pushing his daughter down to the floor be scrubbed from the police report.

Priest pleaded not guilty on Monday over video conference. He was released from the Yellowstone County Detention Facility after posting a $1,500 bond. The judge also ordered him to stay away from his wife and firearms.

[Wilms]

1. Quite the upright pol, too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Priest

[CurtEastPoint]

3. And quite the dilettante in bidness, eh?

Mr. Priest is currently the owner of Academy of Nail, Skin and Hair in Billings, Montana and Optimal Auctions of Round Rock, Texas and holds executive titles with New Rock Telecom Ventures and Hamilton Venture Holdings. His previous positions include CEO of Medipent LLC; Chief Operating Officer and Founder at Dash.com; Director at MaxLink; President at US WaveLink; and Vice President of Finance at Islands Restaurants.[15]

[chervilant]

2. And firearms...

Perhaps the Judge is aware that 1 in 4 police officers killed on duty are killed answering domestic violence calls.

[CurtEastPoint]

4. Sure looks older than 45. Must have been rode hard and...

[unhappycamper]

5. put away wet?

[Ptah]

6. State takes over investigation of senator's arrest

Red Lodge and Carbon County officials stepped back Wednesday from the investigation
into a state senator charged with pushing his wife and fighting a police officer, saying
they want to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

The state Department of Justice will take over the case against Republican Sen. Jason Priest
of Red Lodge, said Carbon County Attorney Alex Nixon.

http://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/state-takes-over-investigation-of-senator-s-arrest/article_adee2ddc-d673-5c9d-80b3-03e178f37a3f.html

[Ptah]

7. Senator faces felony for allegedly throwing child

BILLINGS – Prosecutors filed a felony assault charge Wednesday against Republican state Sen. Jason Priest of Red Lodge, accusing him of throwing his 4-year-old daughter on the night he allegedly shoved his estranged wife and struggled with a police officer.

The Montana Attorney General’s Office filed the charge, along with a misdemeanor assault count accusing Priest of attacking his wife’s boyfriend, the Billings Gazette reported.

Priest, 45, previously pleaded not guilty to charges of partner or family assault and resisting arrest. Carbon County prosecutors then turned the case over to the attorney general, saying they know Priest and wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

The Attorney General’s Office also filed charges of partner or family assault and resisting arrest against Priest on Wednesday. It wasn’t immediately clear if those charges supplant the previous counts.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/viewart/20140212/NEWS01/302120018/Senator-faces-felony-allegedly-throwing-child