It was reported on Monday that the Kiana Village Public Safety Officer Matt Sperl was assaulted by a suspect in that community while placing that person under arrest on Assault charges on Saturday.

After receiving a report of a disturbance in the community of Kiana on Saturday, that village’s VPSO went to the scene at  a residence in Kiana and investigated the report. His investigation would reveal that 22-year-old Sterling Lucas’s behavior “had placed three female juveniles in fear of imminent physical injury,” the trooper dispatch reported.

VPSO Sperl contacted Lucas and attempted to place him under arrest, at which time, Lucas began fighting with the VPSO and resisted arrest. Despite his resistance, Lucas was placed under arrest by Sperl and was transported to the Kiana Public Safety building.

While further investigating the assault, Lucas’s girlfriend, 25-year-old Eva Henry arrived at the Public Safety building, caused a disturbance and refused to leave. After several unsuccessful attempts to persuade the woman to leave, she was subsequently placed under arrest as well.

Both Lucas and Henry were transported via state aircraft by troopers to Kotzebue, where they were remanded to the Kotzebue Regional Jail. Lucas was charged with Assault IV x3, Assault IV on a Police Officer, and Resisting Arrest. Henry was charged with Disorderly Conduct.

  Alaska, arrest, assault, disorderly conduct, eva henry, kiana, kotzebue, northwest, rural, sperl, sterling lucas, vpso