Man arrested for allegedly punching officer after crash
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IDAHO FALLS — Court documents share more details about a Memorial Day crash that escalated with a man punching a police officer in the face.
Idaho Falls Police were called to West Broadway and North Yellowstone Highway around 2:45 p.m. According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by EastIdahoNews.com, Maxwell Christian Kent, 21, crashed his 2000 Pontiac Grand Am into the back of a 2014 Jeep Wrangler.
Police learned the crash was “possibly turning into a disturbance.” When officers arrived, they report they could smell the odor of alcohol on Kent, who was yelling things like, “My a** is grass.”
Officers asked Kent if he wanted to be detained and he replied, “Ya!” according to court documents. When police tried to place him into handcuffs, he apparently changed his mind saying, “No!”
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Kent tried getting back into his car and police grabbed him by the ankles and his pants. With his pants down to his ankles, Kent was mostly pulled from the car before continuing to struggle with police, according to court documents.
With police trying to put Kent into custody, he is alleged to have made a fist and landed a punch on an officer’s forehead and cheek, charging documents say.
Police eventually got Kent into the back of a police car and took him to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center to draw his blood. Kent refused to let medical staff draw the blood, prompting police to call a judge to sign a warrant.
Throughout the blood draw, police report Kent continued to resist.
Police took Kent to the Bonneville County Jail, where he was booked. Kent is now charged with felony aggravated battery upon a police officer, misdemeanor driving under the influence, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor resisting arrest.
Kent is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 15.
CORRECTION: EastIdahoNews.com initially reported the suspect’s surname as Maxwell when it is actually his first name. We apologize for this error and it has been corrected in the story.