A Browning man has been charged with one felony count of assault on a peace officer after allegedly punching a sheriff’s deputy during a confrontation at a West Glacier establishment on Aug. 26, according to a Flathead County Sheriff’s Office press release.
Loren Birdrattler, 50, was booked in Flathead County Detention Center on Aug. 26, where he remains in custody.
Deputies were dispatched to the Belton Train Station at approximately 12:30 p.m. last Friday for a report of a man “acting strange and being disorderly.” As deputies were responding, Birdrattler relocated to Glacier Highland across U.S. Highway 2, according to the release.
Once the deputy arrived, he attempted to arrest Birdrattler for an outstanding warrant out of Idaho, causing Birdrattler to punch the deputy in the face, resulting in minor injuries. With the assistance of two bystanders in the restaurant, the deputy gained control of Birdrattler and he was placed under arrest without further incident, the release states.
Birdrattler matched the description of a male who had reportedly been acting strange in the Evergreen area on Aug. 25, according to the release, but he was never located.
Birdrattler’s bond is set at $30,000 due to “seriousness of alleged offense,” according to court documents.
His arraignment hearing is scheduled for Sept. 26 before Flathead County District Court Judge Heidi J. Ulbricht.