A Flathead County man who bit three law enforcement officers, including former Sheriff Chuck Curry and former Undersheriff Dave Leib, was sentenced in Flathead County District Court on July 25.
Ryan McCauley received two concurrent five-year suspended sentences to the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to three counts of assault on a peace officer. McCauley also received credit for 533 days served in the Flathead County Detention Center.
According to charging documents, law enforcement received a report of a “homicidal and suicidal” man who had been using cocaine and marijuana all day on Feb. 8, 2018. Officers later located the man, identified as McCauley, outside a South Kalispell sandwich shop. McCauley told the officers he had a knife. Officers tried to negotiate with McCauley to drop the weapon and go to the hospital with them but the man refused.
The officers attempted to restrain McCauley who then attacked the men by biting them. McCauley bit Curry in the hand, drawing blood.
Curry showed his injury to McCauley, who responded, “Good, you deserve it.” McCauley then said “Well, I’ve already got one felony,” before starting to kick Curry. The officers then restrained McCauley and placed leg straps on him to stop the kicking.
A month later, while in jail, McCauley stabbed another inmate with a pencil multiple times during a fight. McCauley was later charged with assault with a weapon. That charge was dropped in the plea deal.