Arimo man sentenced for bat attack on Marsh Valley superintendent
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POCATELLO — An Arimo man will spend 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery.
David Battson, 51, was sentenced Tuesday for attacking former Marsh Valley Joint School District 21 Superintendent Marvin Hansen on June 23.
Battson was originally charged with felony aggravated battery and misdemeanor malicious injury to property. He pleaded guilty as part of an agreement with the Bannock County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors agreed to recommend probation and dropped the felony aggravated battery and misdemeanor malicious injury to property charges.
Police: Harassment allegation prompted attack on superintendent
The sentencing stems from a fight between Battson and Hansen at the Marsh Valley School District offices. Court documents show Bannock County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the offices at around 11 a.m. in response to calls about a violent disturbance.
When deputies arrived, they found Battson sitting across the street from the district offices, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Battson had blood on his left arm, pants and shirt. Asked if he needed medical assistance, Battson directed medical assistance to the man inside, later identified as Marsh Valley Superintendent Marvin Hansen.
Hansen, Battson told police, had forced himself sexually on Battson’s wife the night before. However, no evidence has ever been presented to support that claim, and Hansen has never been charged.
Police reports show Battson went to the district offices that morning to wait for Hansen. He then attacked Hansen with a bat. During the struggle, Battson was locked out of the offices. He retrieved a tire iron from his vehicle and tried to break in windows to enter the building.
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Officers found Hansen in his office, holding a bandage to his head with blood on his forehead, hands and the top of his head. Officers said a bloodied barrel end of a broken baseball bat was on the superintendent’s desk.
The school district investigated Battson’s wife after she made claims Hansen had sexually harassed her. However, a private investigator hired by the district determined the relationship did not amount to sexual harassment but was a consensual relationship between the two, according to IdahoEdNews.org.
Hansen was later reprimanded for misusing a district-owned vehicle and cell phone. Hansen was replaced and demoted to an administrative position within the district until a new superintendent was found. Superintendent Gary Tucker replaced Hansen in September.
In addition to the 30-day sentence, Battson was ordered by the court to pay a $500 fine and $250 in restitution.