A group of North Carolina missionaries that got into an altercation with a local man from Cameron, Montana, appeared in court today, January 23, via zoom in Virginia City.
It all started on November 12 with a confrontation between several missionaries from North Carolina and Dream Drift Motel owner, Brad Terrell.
Here is the dialogue from the two 911 calls:
Missionary Jesse Boyd called dispatch saying, “I'm a father with a son and daughter and we're a team walking across America. We were attacked by some locals. I was forced to pull a gun in my life and defend the life of my child," said Boyd, “I wanted to stay at the scene but they threatened to kill us if we didn't leave.”
Brad Terrell called dispatch saying, "My nose, I’ve been punched’ 'You got punched in the nose?' 'Yeah' 'Okay, and you're going to refuse medical and you don't want them to come out just look at ya? ‘No I'm fine, I'm fine,’" says Terrell "No I just got a bloody nose, I'm fine."
The missionaries claimed they were acting in self-defense, and that Terrell was threatening them. Now three of them are being charged with felony assault with a weapon and claim they were treated unfairly by the Madison County Sheriff's office.
“Initially, our charges were changed from what they call Felony Aggravated assault, which is what we were initially charged it was the entire basis of our incarceration. And it's that in and of itself is ludicrous when you actually hear our attacker's 911 Call,” said Boyd.
The patrol car video shows the 12-year-old son of Boyd who was placed in the vehicle after his father and sister were arrested. The video then shows the deputy going back to the Dream Drift Motel, the motel owned by Terrell. The deputy leaves the boy alone for nearly 10 minutes, and he starts to cry. The missionaries believe the deputy was talking to Terrell.
The missionaries pleaded not guilty in court today. Brad Terrell and the Madison County Sheriff's office have yet to comment on the case. The next court date is set for March 22.
RELATED:
North Carolina missionary speaks on arrest after conflict with Montana business owner
