South Dakota Man Arrested After Trying to Punch Firefighters During Fire

A Brookings man was arrested after he allegedly threw punches at firefighters who were putting out a fire in Sioux Falls.

According to Dakota News Now, Sioux Falls Fire Rescue was called to put out an open burn pit on Thursday evening on the eastern side of the city. While the firefighters were actively dealing with the burn pit, a man approached them and tried to hit them with punches.

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The Sioux Falls Police officer giving the media briefing Friday morning simply said that the "firefighters were able to detain the suspect and held him on the ground until police officers arrived." I'm going to read into that a little and speculate that the suspect was handled the way that would have been incredibly comical to watch before they pinned him down.

Officers were called out to assist the firefighters with the suspect. They arrested 22-year-old Kennith Bigbear of Brookings. He is charged with simple assault on firefighter.

In South Dakota, simple assault is a class 1 misdemeanor and is punishable by up to a year in jail or a $2,000 fine or both. However, when it involves first responders the crime and penalty goes up.

Simple assault against a law enforcement officer, firefighter, ambulance personnel, Department of Corrections employee or contractor, health care personnel, or other public officer is a class 6 felony, which is punishable by two years imprisonment in the state penitentiary or a fine of four thousand dollars, or both.