Man Accused Of Striking Landlord With Truck To Avoid Eviction
32 year-old Ryan Driscoll is in the Missoula County Jail charged with felony assault with a weapon after allegedly striking a woman while he was driving a pickup truck on Saturday, November 18.
According to court documents, the female victim was attempting to evict Driscoll from a residence he had been renting from her on South 7th Street West. Driscoll had been deliberately avoiding the woman in earlier attempts to serve eviction papers.
As Driscoll was driving towards her, court records state that she raised her hands for him to stop. Driscoll slowed down, and when the woman came towards the vehicle, he struck her with the front bumper, and then continued pushing her with the truck. The victim fell sideways and was able to avoid being run over by the truck’s tires.
She estimated the truck was traveling between five and ten miles per hour when she was struck and pushed. She complained of severe pain in her right knee after being pulled across the pavement by the truck.
Deputy Missoula County Attorney Mark Handelman asked Judge Landee Holloway for $20,000 bond, due to aggravating circumstances in the case.
“This defendant has a significant criminal history,” said Handelman. “It includes several outstanding warrants, an assault and a PFMA charge. The victim states that both she and her tenants are afraid for their safety. Both she and the witness will be submitting orders of protection requests later today. The victim is concerned that the defendant is a flight risk, and the state would have to agree based on the number of warrants that have already been issued for him.”
Upon his arrest, Driscoll denied being in the vicinity.
Judge Holloway set bail at $20,000, and ordered Driscoll, a local contractor, to appear again in December.