Man Gets Jail Time For Assasulting Yellowstone Cops
A California man will serve nine months behind bars for assaulting Yellowstone park rangers in September.
The US Attorney's Office on Wednesday evening announced that US Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman handed the sentence to 27-year-old Benjamin Bagala. Bagala was sentenced for three counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees and one count of depredation against property of the United States.
He must surrender on or before March 4.
Bagala also received one year of supervised release with conditions that include a ban from Yellowstone.
READ MORE: California Man Accused Of Attacking Yellowstone Ranger; Had To Be Tased
According to a criminal complaint, rangers were called to the Lake Yellowstone Hotel on September 25 where Bagala had been drinking and harassing guests, breaking things and threatening a security guard.
An arriving law enforcement officer had to tase Bagala, court documents state.
Because Bagala was extremely intoxicated and showed injuries from earlier activities, authorities called an ambulance from Montana.
On the way to the hospital, one of the rangers rode in the back of the ambulance to restrain Bagala while another drove.
At some point, Bagala slipped his restraints and fought with the officer. The other officer had to pull over and assist. Both were injured.
Eventually, a paramedic in the back of the ambulance was able to chemically sedate Bagala, but not before Bagala spit in their mouth.
Meanwhile, at the hotel, park rangers reportedly observed two broken plexiglass shields on the floor, blood splattered on the floor, walls, staircase and ceiling throughout the lobby, a pile of six to eight broken plates on the floor of the hotel dining room, a broken door and frame at the rear of the dining room, three broken ceiling light fixtures on the first floor, broken or damaged wall light fixtures, a kicked-in door with a destroyed frame to an unoccupied room and a damaged door to an occupied room.
The US Attorney's Office says Bagala caused $2,865.42 in damage.