Man charged with assaulting Kalispell officer

A man with a history of domestic violence and resisting arrest is lodged in the Flathead County Detention Center after a recent incident in Kalispell.

Kristoffer Benjamin Carnes, 39, is charged with felony assault on a peace officer. His bail was set at $100,000 and he is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m., Thursday, April 22. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

According to a charging document, Kalispell police officers were called to a 6th Street West residence on April 11. A woman told officers that Carnes had driven his truck into her vehicle. Carnes then allegedly came into her home and yelled at her while she was in the fetal position on the floor in fear.

A probation officer told investigating officers that Carnes was on parole and could be placed on a probation hold if he was located. Officers later found Carnes at his home on West Center Street.

When officers made contact with Carnes and told him that he was under arrest, he allegedly pulled his hand away from an officer and began fighting with him. During the struggle, an officer said Carnes picked up a nail gun attached to an air hose and pointed it at one officer’s face, putting all of the officers in fear of serious bodily injury.

Officers then used a Taser to subdue Carnes and handcuffed him. As officers were escorting Carnes to a patrol vehicle, he allegedly attempted to reach for an object on a nearby table and another struggle ensued.

Officers then reported while they moved toward the vehicle, Carnes allegedly lunged at one of them and attempted to fight with officers again.

ACCORDING TO media reports, Carnes had two prior incidents in Gallatin County, one in 2011 and another in 2016, which involved abuse of a woman followed by altercations with police officers.

In the 2011 incident, Carnes was convicted of trying to run over two Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office deputies after they responded to a domestic incident. The conviction was later overturned when Carnes appealed, saying officers didn’t identify themselves.

In 2016, a story in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle indicated Carnes was arrested after he allegedly pushed a woman and broke her phone. When a Bozeman police officer tried to pull him over, Carnes allegedly sped away and drove through a gate at Yellowstone International Airport.

Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.