Lally Charged With Assault On Officer
Patrick Justus Lally is facing two felony charges and two misdemeanor charges in Roosevelt County District Court.
The felony charges are assault on a peace officer and attempted assault on a peace officer.
Maximum penalties for assault on a peace officer are a term of not less than two years or more than 10 years in the state prison and a fine of $50,000.
Maximum penalties for attempted assault on a peace officer are a sentence of not less than two years or more than 10 years in the state prison and a fine of $50,000.
Misdemeanor charges are obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest.
According to court documents, the Montana Highway Patrol on Sept. 17 observed a pickup truck with an obstructed rear license plate sitting stationary in the driving lane facing east near the intersection of Front Street and Second Avenue in Wolf Point.
When the vehicle began making a right turn, it immediately drifted to the wrong side of the road, traveling in the opposite traffic lane.
The trooper initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Despite the trooper’s overhead emergency light activation, the vehicle continued and stopped at a stop sign at the intersection of Second Avenue S. and Main Street. The vehicle only engaged its brakes and wasn’t placed in park.
The vehicle continued traveling until the trooper activated his siren. The vehicle then pulled over and stopped prior to arriving no Benton Street.
The trooper observed that Lally’s speech was slurred, mumbled and slow. Lally had bloodshot and watery eyes. The trooper also experienced a strong odor of consumed alcoholic beverages.
Lally refused to step out of the vehicle despite being asked eight total times. He was requested to step out 11 more times and then the troopers reached for his arms. After Lally pulled away from one trooper, another trooper pulled him out of the vehicle and on to the ground. Once on the ground, Lally continued to resist arrest and attempted to escape. Once Lally was placed in handcuffs, he continued to aggressively shift and kick his legs. Other law enforcement officers then arrived at the scene. They assisted holding Lally still until leg shackles could be placed on him.
Lally later complained about the handcuffs hurting his wrists. When his handcuffs were loosen, Lally forcefully squeezed down on a trooper’s right thumb, bending it downward from the bottom joint and pressing it against the point end of the handcuff key. This created a sharp pain on the trooper’s thumb joint. At this point, the trooper told Lally to stop grabbing his fingers.
