Missoula Police Detain Man After Officer Choking Incident and Arrest Woman on Fifth DUI

On August 1, 2026, Missoula Police Department officers responding to a report at the Missoula County Fair encountered 33‑year‑old James Payne, who was walking barefoot while drinking from a hydrogen peroxide bottle. When officers attempted to detain him, Payne resisted, grabbed an officer’s neck and forced both officers to the ground, later being tased by the department.

Two days earlier, on July 30, 2026, officers arrested 53‑year‑old Roxanne Bunting after she was found intoxicated in a vehicle parked near the Silver Park Boat Ramp. Bunting, already facing four prior DUI convictions, refused field sobriety and chemical tests, was taken to a hospital for a blood draw, and was charged with a felony fifth‑offense DUI and obstruction, with bond set at $45,000.