Man Faces Felony After Domestic Disturbance Involving a Taser
On June 4, 2022, Missoula Police Department Officers were dispatched to a report of a physical disturbance at an apartment on O’Leary Street. Officers contacted the caller who stated she observed a female get shoved against the windows and heard the female screaming. When law enforcement went up to the apartment, one officer heard a female from the apartment scream “get off of me.” Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold picks up the story.
“When officers arrived on scene, the original caller provided information to the officers on where they were hearing the yelling and which apartment they thought it was coming from,” Arnold said. “Officers approached the residence and could hear the victim crying and speaking to the suspect, Bradley Erickson. Officers observed indicators of a physical disturbance when they made contact with the parties involved, including broken piece of property. During the preliminary investigation, it was determined this was a domestic related disturbance.”
At one point, the victim said Erickson had one of his arms around her neck. The victim reported she was not being strangled, but she began to panic and hyperventilate. The victim left the residence to drive away in her vehicle. When she got to her car, she realized she forgot her glasses. She grabbed a taser in her vehicle and headed back to the apartment to get her glasses.
The victim went back into the apartment and looked for her glasses, but could not find them. It was later discovered Erickson broke her glasses. Erickson confronted her again. She asked Erickson to leave the apartment and leave her alone, but Erickson refused. The victim told Erickson to stay away from her or she would use the taser. Erickson stepped towards her so she used the taser on him briefly.
Erickson then grabbed the taser out of the victim’s hand and pushed her into the wall with enough force to break the drywall behind her. Erickson then threatened to use the taser on her. Erickson told the victim she could leave, but he was blocking the entrance while sparking the taser. It was then that law enforcement arrived on-scene.
“Officers located a weapon involved in the disturbance and collected the weapon for evidence,” Arnold said. “During the preliminary investigation, the victim was able to articulate the sequence of events and the physical pain and fear they felt during the incident. Erickson was transported to the Missoula County Detention Center on charges of assault with a weapon and partner or family member assault. This case is still under investigation with the Missoula Police Department detective division.”
Other officers contacted Erickson. Erickson was initially uncooperative and officers noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from him. During a search incident to arrest, officers located a Sig Sauer P365 9mm handgun hidden in Erickson’s crotch region.
When asked about the handgun, the victim said it was hers. She did not know Erickson had it nor did he threaten to use the firearm against her. She believed Erickson retrieved it when she went to her vehicle as Erickson was in her presence all other times during the incident. Court documents indicate the victim was provided with the Lethality Assessment form and answered yes to being threatened with a weapon.
Erickson is currently being charged with felony assault with a weapon and partner or family member assault.
The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.