Man pleads not guilty to sexual assault
JEFF SMITH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years AGO
Jeff Smith is news director for Anderson Broadcasting and a contributor to the Lake County Leader. | December 20, 2023 11:00 PM
A Polson man, who is already facing a trial March 11 on one count of negligent vehicular assault, faces more legal issues.
Cheyenne Ambrose Bighawk, 37, entered a plea of not guilty in Polson District Court Dec. 13 to three felony counts of sexual assault involving a victim less than 16 years of age.
According to court records, a “Jane Doe” born in 2014 indicated to authorities that on at least three occasions, beginning when she was 8 years old, Bighawk touched her inappropriately. During a forensic interview Nov. 30, “Doe” named three specific instances when she was allegedly assaulted by Bighawk, and indicated that on one of the occasions, he allegedly told her not to tell anyone. When questioned by investigators, Bighawk denied touching the girl, then said he “might have.”
Bighawk is already accused of being intoxicated when, on May 18, he lost control of the vehicle he was driving, which ended up on its roof on N. Foothills Road. His passenger suffered a broken vertebra.
Judge Molly Owen set a trial date for the sexual assault case for June 3. Bighawk is being held in the Lake County Jail with bond totaling $45,000.
ARTICLES BY JEFF SMITH
Polson man gets partially suspended sentence for bear spray attack
A Polson man was sentenced in district court in Polson on Dec. 4 to 10 years in the Montana State Prison with eight years suspended in connection with a bear spray attack.
Atkinson ordered to reimburse $4,500 for coin theft
Imposition of sentencing was deferred for three years in District Court Dec. 10 for Christopher Alan Atkinson, who admitted to stealing coins from the City of Ronan’s coin-operated water filling station. He’s required to pay restitution of $4,500.
Missoula woman admits to felony drug charge
A Missoula woman admitted to charges related to dealing drugs in Lake County. Reba Ann Hawkins, 37, entered a plea of guilty to felony criminal possession with intent to distribute in District Court in Polson Dec. 11.