St. Croix County man charged with police battery

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The Pierce County District Attorney’s office charged on Oct. 15 Kyle D. Drinkwine, 25, Roberts, with attempted battery of a police officer, a class H felony, and with obstruction for an incident that happened in River Falls Sept. 15.

Drinkwine is scheduled to make an initial court appearance 10 a.m. Nov. 30.

According to the criminal complaint, Officer Ryan Miller noticed a group of individuals starting to make some noise outside of Shooter’s Pub on Elm Street in River Falls. Miller stayed in his car as three of the individuals starting walking east down Elm Street and turning north into the alley behind Boomer’s in River Falls.

When Miller caught up to the individuals, he recognized Drinkwine. When asked for identification, Drinkwine said he didn’t have any and gave the name Matthew Drinkwine.

Miller asked him to sit on the ground and alleges that Drinkwine responded by lunging and throwing a punch at him.

“When he lunged at me, I saw a fist coming towards me,” Miller wrote in his report, saying as he reacted, Drinkwine’s knuckles grazed his right cheek.

Drinkwine took off running and Miller gave chase, issuing verbal commands to stop. Drinkwine ignored the commands and soon disappeared into the darkness.

Miller said in his report that he noticed “a distinct odor of intoxicants” coming from Drinkwine and said his eyes were bloodshot and glossy.

Court records show Drinkwine was found guilty of substantial battery in March in Pierce County and was sentenced to three years’ probation. The terms of his probation included no drinking, bars or alcohol. He was also found guilty of manufacturing/delivering THC and resisting/obstructing an officer in St. Croix County in 2003 and 2004, respectively.

Tags: crime and courts, news, crime, battery, roberts