Man denies cop assault

A man has denied multiple charges stemming from a summer car accident in which he is accused of assaulting two sheriff’s deputies after crashing his vehicle off I-90.
Jason Jurgens, 41, entered not guilty pleas to the following charges last Thursday in 22nd Judicial District Court: Two felony counts of assault of a peace officer, one misdemeanor count of DUI, and misdemeanor counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He is free after previously posting $50,000 bond. Judge Blair Jones told Jurgens he must provide proof of where he lives and works after Stillwater County Attorney Nancy Rohde said he lives out of state, which was countered by defense attorney Greg Paskell who said his client lives in Whitefish.
According to court documents, on Aug. 4, 2015, sheriff’s deputies, MHP and Columbus Fire Rescue were dispatched to a traffic accident on I-90. They found Jurgens’ vehicle at the bottom of a ditch about 150 yards from a damaged guard rail, with the front passenger side wheel assembly completely destroyed or missing.
Jurgens was still in the vehicle but when Deputy Renzle Crain questioned him, Jurgens allegedly got out of the car and physically attacked the deputy “drawing blood” and causing bruises and abrasions, according to court documents. Chief Investigator Deputy Woody Claunch tried to help subdue Jurgens, but all three men ended up on the ground with Jurgens scratching Crain, kicking Claunch and “make movements toward Claunch’s belt in an attempt to gain access to his duty weapon,” according to court documents.
It took additional law enforcement and medical first responders to get Jurgens restrained, with the deputies noting he appeared to have “abnormal strength and stamina” they attributed to him being on a drug-induced high.
Claunch saw a drug pipe in plain view on the floor of the vehicle. The car was impounded and the following day, with a search warrant, lawmen found the pipe, a plastic bag that tested positive for marijuana and a 24-ounce bottle of margarita mix.