BOZEMAN – A man accused of hitting a Bozeman police officer in the groin early Saturday morning faces a felony charge of assault on a peace officer.
Nicholas Michael Donovan, 28, was arrested Saturday after a Bozeman police officer says he saw Donovan kicking a box in the middle of Rouse Avenue around 1:15 a.m.
According to court documents, the officer on patrol stopped Donovan as he was kicking a small box from the City Hall parking lot into the middle of Rouse Avenue near the Mendenhall intersection.
The officer said Donovan appeared intoxicated, smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech as the officer moved him to the sidewalk.
Court documents state that as the officer attempted to arrest Donovan for Intoxicated Pedestrian, Donovan pulled away and resisted, ignoring multiple requests from the officer to put his hands behind his back.
The officer said he requested backup and took Donovan to the ground to gain control and place him under arrest. Donovan reportedly continued to resist physically, and the officer said at one point he felt Donovan repeatedly strike him in the groin before other officers arrived to subdue him. The officer said he experienced pain and tightness in his left testicle that lasted several hours.
Donovan was taken to the Gallatin County Detention Center and was held without bond on the felony charge. He appeared in Justice Court Monday morning where Judge Bryan Adams set his bail at $5,000.
Donovan’s next court appearance is set for Aug. 31.
