Intoxicated man arrested for aggravated assault, attempting to hit people with hammer

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call in Ammon overnight of a man attempting to hit people with a hammer. 

Dispatch received the call at approximately 7:14 p.m. advising a man, later identified as 66-year-old Bradley G. Howe, was parked in his vehicle in the middle of the intersection at 49^th S. and Thunder Dr. When the caller stopped to see if he was ok, Howe exited his vehicle and chased after them with a hammer in his hand, using it to damage the reporting party’s car as he tried to drive away. While the reporting party was calling dispatch, Howe drove toward the caller and attempted to run them off the road but was unsuccessful. 

The caller was able to provide dispatch information for responding deputies, advising Howe was last seen driving toward 45^th E. with no headlights on. An arriving deputy located Howe turning around in a nearby residence on 45^th E., accelerating toward him in the oncoming lane of travel and causing him to swerve off the road to avoid being in a head-on collision. 

After turning around and activating emergency lights, Howe ultimately stopped for the deputy and was taken into custody without further incident. Deputies noted Howe exhibited signs of intoxication and drug use and began field sobriety testing on scene. 

Howe was transported to the Bonneville County Jail where he was booked on multiple felony counts of aggravated assault. Howe was also booked for misdemeanor driving under the influence and cited for malicious injury to property as a result of the circumstances.