PORT ANGELES — A Bellingham man has been charged with misdemeanor assault of an Olympic National Park ranger after an incident at Hurricane Ridge on Aug. 12.
Bruce Radtke pleaded not guilty Aug. 13 in federal court and was released on his personal recognizance.
He faces an Oct. 19 bench trial in U.S. District Court Western District of Washington in Tacoma.
Radtke said he and others were at the Ridge handing out fliers concerning Navy electromagnetic warfare training over the park when he was approached by a park ranger.
“At that point,” Radtke said Tuesday, “I’m not allowed by my lawyer to talk about what happened because I have been charged with assault of the ranger.”
Radtke’s attorney, Linda Sullivan of the Federal Public Defender’s office in Tacoma, did not return phone calls requesting comment.
After the incident, the Peninsula Daily News received numerous emails and phone calls from people about the incident.
One person said Radtke was injured in a “violent takedown and arrest” by the ranger.
Park officials would not comment on the incident because the investigation is ongoing.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Strombom is presiding over the case.
Motions are due this coming Thursday.
No motions had been filed as of Friday afternoon.
