We now have more information on the December incident that lead to the arrest of a former Perry Police officer.
According to Chief Eric Vaughn, on December 30th former police Chief Dan Brickner was made aware of an incident that occurred on Christmas Eve in the department’s temporary holding facility. Brickner reviewed video of the incident and called the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation to assist in conducting an investigation into the matter.
Vaughn says Clinton Richard was arrested for public intoxication near the intersection of 3rd and Evelyn in Perry just before 2pm on December 24th. He was transported to the Perry Police Department to be processed and then placed into a temporary holding cell. At this time, Vaughn says Richard became disruptive by yelling and banging on the cell. Shortly after 3:30pm, following a verbal exchange, then Officer Rick Kuhn entered the cell and that’s when the alleged assault occurred.
Richard then requested medical attention and was looked at by Dallas County Ambulance staff before being transported by officers to the Dallas County Hospital. He later returned to jail and was released from the holding facility the following morning.
Kuhn was placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation and the DCI turned their findings over to the Dallas County Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges.
Vaughn says meanwhile, the Perry Police Department also conducted an internal investigation which lead to Kuhn being released of his duties as an officer on January 31st.
The Dallas County Attorney’s office filed a simple assault charge against Kuhn on March 11th. Two days later, he pled guilty to the charge in court.