A man accused of battering an Idaho State Police trooper during an officer-involved shooting in Nez Perce County last year has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges.
A detention hearing for Ricardo Rodriguez, 39, will be held Tuesday and a trial is scheduled for Oct. 12.
A federal indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court in Coeur d’Alene last week accuses Rodriguez of striking, beating and wounding trooper Jeffory Talbott on May 18, 2009.
Authorities say a car chase began with an attempted traffic stop for drunken driving and ended when Rodriguez and Randall Ellenwood, 50, got out of the vehicle and confronted Talbott just off Cottonwood Creek Road. Police say Ellenwood and Rodriguez were “seriously physically battering” Talbott when Talbott fired his weapon at the men. Ellenwood died at the scene, while Rodriguez was seriously injured.
In February, the U.S. Attorney’s office cleared Talbott of any wrongdoing in the shooting.
Rodriguez faces up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.
