Man Who Injured Two Deputies After Breaking Into Home Refuses to Appear in Justice Court – Again
36 year-old Steven Conner refused to appear in Missoula Justice Court on Tuesday afternoon on charges that he assaulted and injured two sheriff's deputies and broke in a home in Lolo before being arrested.
Deputy Missoula County Attorney Mac Bloom said even though Conner was arrested last Thursday, he has still not made an initial appearance.
"It's alleged that he was passed out in the snow on January 24th," Bloom said. "Fire and medical personnel responded on scene to help him, however, when deputies contacted him, he got up and fled from the deputies and entered a random home nearby. The deputies followed him inside and there was a struggle that resulted in Mr. Conner striking Corporal Leonard with a bar stool and then struggled with Deputy Wafstet and injured the deputy's hand."
According to court documents, the sheriff's deputies warned Conner several times as he fled the scene to stop, but he told them, 'you're going to have to kill me'. After entering the home, the deputies used their taser, but Conner broke off the leads and continued to fight with them, resulting in their minor injuries.
Bloom said the charges against Conner include two counts of felony assault on a peace officer and felony burglary, after breaking into a residence.
"The assault on a peace officer is punishable by not less than two years or more than 10 years in the Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine, while the burglary is punishable by up to 20 years in the Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine."
Officials will try again on Wednesday to get Conner to appear, but the decision may be made to transporting him to the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs for an evaluation.