The Idaho Attorney General’s Office charged Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland on Tuesday with felony aggravated battery, felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor exhibition of a gun.
Referring to the incident on Nov. 9, Rowland told Blackfoot Police Chief Scott Gay that he had “really screwed up,” according to an affidavit of probable cause.
On the evening of Nov. 9, a Latter-day Saint youth group was placing “thankful turkeys” on the doors of members of their congregation. The activity involved several girls ages 12 to 16 writing notes of thanks shaped like turkeys, taping them on doors, ringing doorbells and running away before they could get caught by the occupants.
That night a group of seven young women and their adult leader visited Rowland’s neighborhood. Most of the night proved uneventful until they tried to leave a note for Rowland and his wife.
Around 8 p.m., Rowland told investigators, he went to let his Yorkie out to relieve itself. Rowland said he saw two people outside of his home and they ran down the road from the house. Rowland made sure no one had broken into his patrol vehicle and he went back inside.
Minutes later, Rowland said he heard his front screen door open and a knock at his door. Fearing someone was trying to break into his house, Rowland had his wife bring him his gun. Dressed in his long johns, socks and a T-shirt, the sheriff went outside again.
In Ring doorbell footage, Rowland is shown looking at the turkey and can be heard saying, “Thank you,” and “That’s frickin bulls***.”
Rowland said he saw a vehicle driving down the road, which he stopped. Rowland said the car did not look familiar and the driver of the car stopped and opened the driver’s side door.
“I reach in and pull the driver out by the hair,” Rowland told investigators, according to court documents. “I say, ‘Who the f*** are you?’ And I do have a gun in my hand, but I still have my finger on the slide.”
Rowland told investigators he pointed the gun at the woman’s head.
Rowland said he did not recognize her. He continued yelling profanities at the woman and girls and pointed his weapon at the woman. Eventually, Rowland said he went back to his home and let the youth group leave.
Rowland told investigators that he had had a single alcoholic drink that night, but he was clear-headed. He told investigators about several threats that had been made against him and his wife in recent months that caused them to be concerned about people at their home.
“I have been doing this job for 36 years,” Rowland said. “I have had drunk Indians drive down my cul-de-sac. I’ve had drunk Indians come to my door. I live just off the reservation, we have a lot of reservation people around us that are not good people.”
The woman said when Rowland pulled her out of the car, he reportedly lifted his gun then pointed it inches from her forehead, according to court documents. The woman said Rowland told her to never do this again, that he could shoot her, and that she needed to “get the f*** out of here.”
The girls who were in the car described Rowland getting upset, having a gun and saying the “f-bomb” multiple times. Several of them recall Rowland pointing the gun at the leader’s head and saying “I will f***ing shoot you.”