Libby man accused of assaulting county deputy at jail

A Libby man was arrested and charged with assaulting a county deputy earlier this month at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Bohdan Yuriyovych Yakovenko, 24, is charged with one felony count of assault on a peace officer.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge on Monday, Sept. 19, in Lincoln County District Court. His next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 28.

According to information in the charging document by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Brandon Huff, he was assisting Libby City Police Officer Ronald Buckner with Yakovenko at the county jail. Buckner had arrested Yakovenko and was attempting to remand him to the custody of the jail. Huff wrote in his report that Yakovenko was bellicose and uncooperative. He also allegedly made several very aggressive movements toward Buckner while calling him vulgar names.

Huff thought the defendant was focused on Buckner and he told Buckner that he and Deputy James Derryberry and Detention Officers Tucker Winn and Carl Holcomb would help with Yakovenko if he wanted to follow up with others involved in the incident Yakovenko was allegedly in.

After Buckner left, Huff reported that Yakovenko fixated on him while Winn tried to calm him. Yakovenko allegedly charged at Huff several times while calling him a vulgar name. Huff wrote that Yakovenko was clearly intent on assaulting him, repeating “I want him” several times.

According to court documents, Yakovenko struggled with the detention officers and then allegedly kicked Huff in the left arm. Huff then took control of the defendant and told the detention officers he needed to be secured in a restraint chair. Huff wrote that he escorted Yakovenko and placed him in the secure chair and placed in a cell.

Conviction for assault on a peace officer could result in a maximum sentence of 10 years in the Montana State Prison.