Blaine County Sheriff's Office: Disruptive behavior at sporting events will be diligently investigated
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The Blaine County Sheriff’s Office will diligently investigate all alleged violations and assist in the prosecution of any assaultive or disruptive behavior at any sporting event.
As a casual reminder the Montana Legislator has created a law specifically protecting sports officials.
Montana Code Annotated (MCA) 45-5-2ll “Assault upon a sports official” clearly details that any purposeful physical contact to or any threats that create reasonable apprehension of bodily harm in a sports official is a violation and punishable by a fine of $1,000 or 6 months in the County jail.
Another applicable law is MCA 45-8-101 “Disorderly conduct” this applies to any disruptive, loud or unusual noises or the use of threatening, profane or abusive language. These violations carry the same potential punishments as 45-5-211.
It is my hope your student athletes will have a very successful and rewarding year. I also hope that all of the dedicated fans will be able to enjoy the student athlete’s passion and performance in a safe, positive and mature fashion.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Montana Code Annotated
45-5-21,1. Assault upon sports official. (1) A person commits the offense of assault upon a sports offlrcial if, while a sports official is acting as an offrcial at an athletic contest in any sport at any level of amateur or professional competition, the person:
(a) purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury to the sports official;
(b) negligently causes bodily injury to the sports official with a weapon;
(c) purposely or knowingly makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with the sports official; or
(d) purposely or knowingly causes reasonable apprehension of bodily injury in the sports official.
(2) Aperson convicted of assault upon a sports official shall be fined an amount not to exceed $1,000 or be imprisoned in the county jail for any term not to exceed 6 months, or both.
History: En. Sec. l, Ch. 408, L.1993.
45-8-101. Disorderly conduct. (1) A person commits the offense of disorderly conduct if the person knowingly disturbs the peace by:
(a) quarreling, challenging to fight, or fighting;
(b) making loud or unusual noises;
(c) using threatening, profane, or abusive language;
(d) rendering vehicular or pedestrian traffic impassable;
(e) rendering the free ingress or egress to public or private places impassable;
(f) disturbing or disrupting any lawful assembly or public meeting;
(g) transmitting a false report or warning of a fire or other catastrophe in a place where its occurrence would endanger human life;
(h) creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act serves no legitimate purpose; or
(i) transmitting a false report or warning of an impending explosion in a place where its occurrence would endanger human life.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person convicted of the offense of disorderly conduct shall be fined an amount not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 10 days, or both.
(3) A person convicted of a violation of subsection (1XÐ shall be fined an amount not to exceed $1,000 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 1 year, or both.
