Staff Reports
Chico Enterprise-Record
OROVILLE — An Oroville man accused of hitting a sheriff’s deputy over the head with a bottle Thanksgiving morning pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Butte County Superior Court.
Kenneth Dwayne Allen, 44, was arraigned in front of Judge Steven Howell on charges of assault on a peace officer with a special allegation of a prior strike, possession of cocaine and misdemeanor possession of more than an ounce of marijuana.
The court appointed Leo Battle to defend Allen and set the case for a pretrial hearing to determine whether prosecution has sufficient evidence to hold him on the charges.
Allen allegedly led sheriff’s deputies on a foot chase about 1:30 a.m. Nov. 25 in Oroville and hit deputy Earl Klapperich over the head with a bottle. The bottle didn’t break and the deputy wasn’t injured.
During a search of Allen and his vehicle, deputies reportedly found cocaine and marijuana.
The defendant is scheduled to return to court for his preliminary hearing Dec. 14.
He remains in custody at the Butte County Jail on $178,000 bail.
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