Two men charged with violent crimes

Two Sidney men face violent felony counts, one being charged with assault on an officer, in the Cheyenne County court system.

Roman J. Maes, 21, and Steven R. High, 57, remain in custody at Cheyenne County Jail following their respective arrests.

Maes, was charged Monday with Class IIIA felony assault on the police officer.

According to Meas’ arrest affidavit, Sidney City Police officers Jim Bush and Curtis Hofrock responded to a call of an assault in progress at Frenchman Valley Coop.

During the response, officers learned that Maes had an outburst, and had allegedly attacked his brother inside a vehicle during an argument about money.

When police asked Roman Maes to step from the vehicle, at which point Bush advised Maes that he was under arrest for assault. Maes allegedly responded that he wasn’t under arrest, and tried to run away.

Both Bush and Hofrock pushed Maes against the vehicle, at which point Maes allegedly grabbed Bush briefly by the throat and then began throwing elbows, striking Hofrock in the mouth and knocking off his glasses.

Maes was eventually taken to the ground and handcuffed. His mother, who was also in the vehicle, had to be transported to Sidney Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Maes was booked and remains in Cheyenne County Jail, with bond set at $10,000, or 10 percent. Maes is scheduled for arraignment on Friday at 9:45 a.m.

High, 57, faces two felony counts: Class IC use of a firearm to commit and felony and Class IV terroristic threats. High’s charges stem from a March 28 incident in which High is alleged to have made threats to shoot his wife during an argument at their home in Lodgepole.

Authorities learned that High and his wife were at Sidney Medical Associates clinic, and that upon their arrival, High was sitting by himself in the waiting room, as his wife, Denise High had an doctor’s appointment.

High explained that his wife has an untreatable illness and has been given four years to live, then added that he is down on his luck and told Sidney that he would be better off dead.

High then told authorities that he had pulled a gun on his wife the night before during the argument. The disagreement began when High fell down, and was not feeling well. According to High, Denise asked if she needed to call an ambulance for possible treatment, and that’s when he pulled the pistol at her.

During a separate interview. Denise High said her husband threatened to kill her if she tried to call anyone after he had fallen. She added that her husband had kept the pistol on the dashboard of their vehicle en route to the doctor’s visit.

High wrote in her statement: “Last night and every minute of today, I am afraid for my life. I thought he was going to kill me and himself last night.”

High was taken into custody, and remains in Cheyenne County Jail in lieu of $100,000. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearding Friday at 9 a.m. before Judge Randin Roland.