Sep 4, 2019 2 min read

BENTLEYVILLE – A Bentleyville man is being held on charges he assaulted two state troopers who pulled over his vehicle last week near his residence.

District Judge Larry Hopkins sent the suspect, Robert J. Cline, 29, to Washington County jail on $100,000 bond on a string of charges that include two counts of aggravated assault, court records show.

Police were called to Cline’s residence at 314 Beallsville Road about 4 a.m. Thursday by a neighbor who claimed Cline kept causing domestic disturbances. Cline’s wife was staying with the neighbor at the time after possibly seeking a protection-from-abuse order against her husband, a trooper noted in the affidavit.

Robert Cline allegedly drove his vehicle erratically in reverse when police arrived. He refused orders to get out of his vehicle, and closed the windows and locked the doors, the court record show.

Cline then ran from his vehicle only to be tackled by a trooper to the ground, police said.

Police said he violently resisted arrest and kicked the troopers, who handcuffed him and placed him into a cruiser, where he banged his head.

Cline allegedly ran from the cruiser, only to be tackled a second time. Police said he also made racists remarks at the troopers and threatened to sexually assault their wives.

Cline also faces charges of flight to avoid apprehension, making terroristic threats, trespassing, driving under the influence of alcohol and public drunkenness.