Inmate pleads not guilty to beating fellow prisoner

Judge John A. Mercer set a trial date of Jan. 13 for a St. Ignatius man accused of assaulting a fellow inmate at the Lake County Jail. Eugene Michael Parker, 28, entered a plea of not guilty in District Court in Polson Aug. 29 to felony aggravated assault.

According to court records, on Sept. 29, 2023, a detention officer at the Lake County Jail was assisting an inmate who complained of pain in his face that he said was sustained in a fall. The man was transported to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson for treatment.

It was determined that the man had suffered several fractured facial bones, including the orbital bone. He was referred to surgery due to the seriousness of his injuries.

Video surveillance at the jail showed that on Sept. 28, 2023, Parker allegedly blindsided the victim by punching him in the left side of his face, then continued to punch and knee the man in the face. When questioned about the incident, the victim admitted that he had not fallen, but had been hit in the face repeatedly by Parker.

Parker was already on probation stemming from attempted theft involving a stolen debit card and the attempted theft of a riding lawnmower. He remains in the Lake County Jail with bail totaling $45,000.