Man faces felony domestic battery charges

BONNERS FERRY — A man who allegedly beat a woman on Sept. 2 will have a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, and will be facing felony charges for domestic battery with traumatic injury.

Ian Bridgman, 33, of Port Townsend, Wash., was arrested on Sept. 2, after Bonners Ferry Police Officer Brandon Blackmore responded to a call at the Kootenai Valley Motel of an unconscious woman laying on the sidewalk outside of a room.

According to the police report, when Blackmore arrived, Bridgman was talking excitedly on his phone saying that he could not call the police. The unconscious woman was laying face down on the sidewalk near the door leading to the spa. Blackmore called for medical assistance.

Bridgman allegedly told Blackmore that the victim was intoxicated and he was unable to get a response from her. According to the police report, he asked if it was necessary to call the ambulance, to which Blackmore responded that it was.

Bridgman allegedly told Blackmore that he and the victim had been in a relationship for seven months and that they were in Bonners Ferry for a holiday.

After the victim was loaded into the ambulance, Bridgman was informed that she would be transported to Boundary Community Hospital, at which point the police reports said he became upset and asked if she could just be moved into the motel room. Absolutely not, the ambulance crew responded.

Blackmore provided a courtesy transport for Bridgman to the hospital, according to the police report, as Blackmore stated that he was clearly intoxicated and Bridgman had already told him that he and the victim had been drinking.

After dropping Bridgman off at the hospital, Blackmore was notified that the hospital doctor on call wished to speak with him. The doctor informed Blackmore that the victim was not intoxicated. According to the police report, the doctor said that victim had sustained many injuries consistent with a very severe beating and injuries which pointed strongly to the victim being sexually assaulted.

The victim had been transported by Life Flight to Coeur d’Alene due to her injuries. According to the police report, the doctor feared that she may not survive her injuries.

Blackmore then spoke with Bridgman who allegedly denied beating the victim. Blackmore noticed that the skin on Bridgman’s knuckles was broken and ripped, as well as the top of his foot. When asked what happened to his hands and feet, Bridgman allegedly responded that he did not know, denied getting into a physical altercation with the victim, but stated that he had been with her all night.

Bridgman was then arrested and held on a $50,000 bond, and bonded out on Sept. 5.