County pays $200K to Dave Bowman for physical injuries, violation of constitutional rights in trespassing case

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

Nearly a year after the Bonner County board of commissioners trespassed frequent meeting attendees Dave Bowman and Rick Cramer from county property, the BOCC has issued an apology for the “illegal and unlawful treatment” of Bowman and agreed to pay him a settlement of $200,000.

Former-BOCC Chair Luke Omodt — who resigned in September, after losing his GOP primary bid in May to Ron Korn, who is serving the remainder of Omodt’s term until his term officially begins in January — trespassed and performed a citizen’s arrest on Bowman and Cramer in January, alleging “disruptive and disorderly behavior [that] has interrupted the lawful meetings of Bonner County for months.”

The board then voted to trespass Bowman again in February, citing alleged “threats” made via email.

Omodt, Commissioner Steve Bradshaw and current-Chair Asia Williams later voted to accept Cramer’s appeal to lift his trespass in April. At the time, Williams made a motion to rescind Bowman’s trespass as well; however, the motion died without a second.

Bonner County Commissioners Asia Williams, left; Ron Korn, center; Steve Bradshaw, right. Photo by Soncirey Mitchell.

The board officially settled with Bowman on Dec. 5, in an agreement that stipulated the county pay $199,999 in compensation for “physical injuries” and $1 for the “violation of Bowman’s constitutional/civil rights.”

“Last February, the second time I was unlawfully arrested, it was not easy for me to go back into that meeting room knowing that I would likely be arrested,” said Bowman during the public comment section of the Dec. 10 BOCC business meeting.

“I did not do it to grandstand or set up a lawsuit. I did it to challenge unlawful authority and abuse of power. It was the right thing to do. I would do it again,” he continued.

Bowman emailed the alleged threats to Emergency Management Director Bob Howard in January — cc’ing Prosecutor Louis Marshall and Sheriff Daryl Wheeler — following the first incident when then-Sergeant at Arms Cameron La Combe attempted to remove him at Omodt’s request.

“I would have been well within my rights in that moment to take offensive action to defend myself. Instead, I retreated; if it happens again I will not retreat,” wrote Bowman in the Jan. 15 email.

“If I feel threatened and defend myself, and an altercation ensues, imagine the ramifications. Civil actions against the county, Omodt and Cameron, criminal charges against Cameron and Omodt, medical bills, potential injuries of bystanders, etc. It could get very ugly. No one needs or wants that,” he added.

Bowman called the incident “avoidable” if Omodt had only “back[ed] down.”

Former Bonner Co. Commissioner Luke Omodt gives a press conference in Feb. 2024. File photo

“Commissioners Omodt — and, to a lesser extent, Bradshaw — used lawfare to silence political opposition. Both of them made false claims that I had publicly threatened employees. I have never threatened anyone ever,” he said, calling for Omodt to face consequences for his actions.

In an email Dec. 11 to the Reader, Omodt wrote, “Mr. Bowman expressed a willingness ‘to go on the offensive.’ Bowman sent this and other ‘lies’ in writing. Bowman’s comments and conduct speak for themselves.”

At the Dec. 10 BOCC meeting, Bowman further alleged misconduct on the part of the Sandpoint Police Department.

“Sandpoint Mayor [Jeremy] Grimm and Chief [Corey] Coon, you’re next because without your complicity, we wouldn’t be here,” Bowman later added.

The Sandpoint police facilitated Bowman’s citizen’s arrest, transporting him to the Bonner County Sheriff’s Detention Center for booking.

Dave Bowman. File photo.

“Sandpoint police should have refused to abet these unlawful arrests, as Chief Coon had advised they would prior to the first unlawful arrest,” Bowman told the Reader in a Dec. 11 email.

The settlement does not detail what injuries Bowman sustained nor does his March 2024 complaint, which focused on the claim that the February vote to remove Bowman constituted “a violation of Idaho’s Open Meeting Laws.” Bowman declined to comment on the nature of his injuries.

Bowman’s settlement also stipulated that the commissioners read a press release aloud during the Dec. 10 meeting and send the release to the Daily Bee, Sandpoint Reader and Spokesman Review.

The statement reads, in part, “Bonner County recognizes the damage done to Mr. Bowman, as he was not only deprived of his rights and injured, but subjected to criminal prosecution, his rights restored only as a result of seeking legal redress through the courts.”

Williams read the statement as part of her weekly District 2 Commissioner Discussion, explaining that it was a requirement of the settlement and that the board members did not write the statement.

“This is the document that was agreed upon. Although I understand there are disagreements on things, this is what was stated to have been read in this meeting and that’s what I did,” Williams said when questioned on the word choice in the letter.

When asked about the settlement, Williams said only that she abstained from the vote to settle with Bowman and that the $200,000 was paid out of the county’s civil litigation fund.

Though he agreed to the settlement, Bowman still disapproved of the fact that neither Omodt nor Bradshaw faced consequences for the arrest and trespass.

“The BOCC was unwilling to settle this case unless I agreed not to pursue the claim against Omodt in his personal capacity as outlined in the complaint,” Bowman added in his Dec. 11 email to the Reader, going on to write that “citizens should be outraged” that the commissioners “shift the financial penalties” onto the taxpayers.

“Malfeasance, misfeasance, cronyism [and] nepotism are rampant in Bonner County government,” Bowman said during the Dec. 10 BOCC meeting. “Elected officials cover for each other and look the other way.”

Bowman and his wife, Susan, both went on to claim that the county government has been “corrupted,” warning meeting attendees to “stay vigilant.” Both speeches were met with applause from members of the public, many of whom got up to speak in support of the Bowmans.

“What we have here is a county commissioner that twice illegally arrested my husband, and who suffers for that? My husband. Who doesn’t? The person that arrested him. And so what this tells us, folks, is that our government has fallen. It’s gone,” said Susan Bowman.

She repeated the sentiment several more times, extending the “fallen” status to the state and federal governments.

“This is not about us — my husband and I — this is about freedom of speech. This is about upholding the Constitution and not just waving a flag but actually standing behind it,” she said.