A man accused of sending a Whitefish Police officer to the hospital earlier this year is back behind bars after allegedly skipping out on a July court hearing.  

Drew Derek Iverson, 37, of Kalispell was expected to appear before Judge Amy Eddy in Flathead County District Court for a status hearing in his felony assault on a peace officer and misdemeanor assault case on July 31, but allegedly failed to show up. The absence earned Iverson a bench warrant and a separate felony bail jumping case.  

Booked back into the county jail on Sept. 9, Iverson is being held on $100,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty to the bail jumping charge on Sept. 16 and Eddy scheduled a pretrial conference in the case for Dec. 3.  

Iverson first came to the attention of the authorities after the Whitefish Police Department responded to reports of employees fighting each other at a hotel located in the city about 2:09 p.m., Feb. 6, according to court documents. Witnesses said the confrontation began after a supervisor pulled Iverson, an employee, aside to discuss his job duties and inform him he would receive disciplinary action, court documents said.  

Iverson began yelling and allegedly threw a pool test book at the supervisor. Told he was suspended, Iverson started shoving the supervisor, court documents said.  

When another employee intervened, Iverson allegedly swung a fist at him.  

While responding officers spoke with the witnesses, they spotted Iverson walking down a hallway toward the hotel's front entrance clutching a broom and a binder. They directed Iverson to drop the items, but he allegedly refused. When they attempted to block his way, he tried pushing past them, court documents said. 

Upon learning he was under arrest, Iverson allegedly began struggling with the officers. During the scuffle, he grabbed the shoulder of one of the officers and wrenched it out of its socket, court documents said. The officer reported that he momentarily lost use of that shoulder and suffered blurry vision and a brief loss of hearing.  

He was later taken to a hospital for medical treatment.  

The other officer on scene got Iverson in handcuffs in the meantime, court documents said.  

Arraigned on the assault on a peace officer and assault charges on Feb. 20, Iverson pleaded not guilty. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Dec. 3. 

Felony assault on a peace officer is punishable by between two and 10 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine. Felony bail jumping is punishable by 10 years imprisonment.  

Misdemeanor assault carries a maximum penalty of six months in the county jail and a fine of $500. 

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].