Thursday, July 30, 2026
64.0°F

Man pleads not guilty to sexual assault

JEFF SMITH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 7 months AGO
by JEFF SMITH
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

Jury convicts Mission man of rape, child sex abuse
July 30, 2026 midnight

Jury convicts Mission man of rape, child sex abuse

A St. Ignatius man is facing a maximum 500 years in prison after being convicted of abusing children.

Ronan man admits to assaulting partner, child
July 23, 2026 midnight

Ronan man admits to assaulting partner, child

A Ronan man admitted to assaulting an individual and a minor.

Sentencing delayed pending new attorney in Cajune case
July 23, 2026 midnight

Sentencing delayed pending new attorney in Cajune case

The sentencing hearing for a Polson man, accused of murdering a man on Christmas morning 2024, has been delayed and reset for late August.