Officer convicted of assaulting man after car crash

HELENA – An East Helena police officer accused of punching a 70-year-old man after a car crash has been convicted of misdemeanor assault.

The Independent Record reports 27-year-old Robert Gutowski was found guilty Monday following a bench trial. He received a one-year deferred sentence and was ordered to pay a $340 fine.

Gutowski was off-duty when he was involved in a four-vehicle crash in Helena on Sept 6. He says he did not assault the man but “shoved him in the shoulder a few times” to get his attention.

Gutowski was put on unpaid leave for a week, then was reinstated by East Helena Mayor James Schell.