Jenn Rowell

jrowell@greatfallstribune.com

Rick Barnwell, 45, has been charged with one felony count of assault on a minor for allegedly punching his 12-year-old son.

Great Falls police responded to Albertsons on 3rd Street Northwest for a report of an assault Monday.

Upon arrival, officers contacted the 12-year-old boy and his brother and mother. The boy told police that while he was home, his father assaulted him, according to court documents.

The boy told police he was in the kitchen doing his homework and using his phone when Barnwell came into the kitchen and was angry at the boy for using his phone when he was supposed to be doing homework, according to the court documents.

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Barnwell allegedly punched the boy in the face several times with a closed fist and slammed him to the floor, causing the boy to hit his head on the floor, according to court documents.

Barnwell then allegedly pinned the boy to the floor and placed both hands around the boy’s neck, choking him, according to court documents.

The family told police that Barnwell then grabbed the boy’s homework and shoved it down the boy’s mouth, according to court documents. After the assault, the boy went to the bathroom and was bleeding from the mouth, according to court documents.

Officers observed the boy’s eyes were red and starting to swell and he had a scratch mark on his cheek and red marks all over his body, according to court documents.

The boy’s brother told police that he witnessed Barnwell punch the boy several times and take him to the floor, but then got scared and ran and locked himself in the bathroom, according to court documents. The brother texted their mother asking her to come help them, according to court documents.

Officers contacted Barnwell who denied punching the boy, but said he “bear hugged” him to the ground and held him there until he calmed down, according to court documents. Barnwell first told police that he “dropped” the homework into the boy’s mouth, but then admitted to pushing it into the boy’s mouth, according to court documents.

Barnwell also told police he had consumed six light beers that day beginning around 8:30 a.m.

Barnwell was scheduled to make an initial appearance on Tuesday and the state requested his bond be set at $25,000.