Pocatello man charged after allegedly threatening individual with a wooden club
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POCATELLO — A Pocatello man has been criminally charged after allegedly threatening another man with a wooden club.
Billy Lee Bolton, 60, has been charged with one count of aggravated assault.
Court documents report at around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, officers with the Pocatello Police Department responded to reports of a disturbance involving a weapon.
According to police records, the victim reported he had come to the Pocatello residence to get personal property from his ex-girlfriend. The victim told law enforcement that while standing in the road and calling dispatch to get an escort to retrieve his property, Bolton allegedly emerged from a nearby residence armed with a wooden club and began yelling threats before charging him.
The victim reported he backed away from Bolton while telling Bolton he would defend himself, and said he feared for his life because Bolton allegedly had the club raised like he was going to strike the victim.
Officers spoke with a witness who had been sleeping in a vehicle; the witness’s testimony conflicted with the victim’s account of events.
According to the witness, she had woken up to a man beating on a neighboring trailer and yelling profanities. When the witness opened their car door, the man began yelling profanities at her and aggressively approached the vehicle.
The victim reported their father, Bolton, emerged from the residence out of concern for her safety. The witness confirmed Bolton had been armed with the wooden club and said Bolton had not hit anyone with the weapon, according to court documents.
Law enforcement spoke with Bolton, who said he and his fiancé had been preparing for bed when they heard loud yelling and screaming coming from outside. Bolton said he grabbed a wooden tire-checker stick to protect his home and then went outside to investigate. According to Bolton, he confronted the victim, and the victim allegedly began making verbal threats, “saying he was going to kill him,” court documents state.
After Bolton was detained, law enforcement reportedly escorted the victim to collect his belongings, and Bolton was placed under arrest.
Bolton has been appointed a public defender. The Idaho State Public Defender’s Office does not comment on active cases.
If found guilty, Bolton may face up to five years’ confinement and may be required to pay fines of up to $5,000.
Bolton is set to appear in court Sept. 22 for a preliminary hearing.
Although Bolton has been accused of a crime, that does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.