Idaho Falls ID Jan 23 2021

A security guard at the Hurricane’s night club in Idaho Falls has been charged with aggravated battery after he reportedly shoved a patron in December, causing the victim to hit his head and bleed.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Blake Clifford Cox, 45, was arrested after the incident, then released when the Bonneville County Prosecutor’s Office requested further investigation. The battery charge was filed Dec. 30, and a summons was issued for Cox.

Idaho Falls Police Department officers responded to the club just before midnight on Dec. 18 and saw the victim arguing with security guards. Police detained the victim, and guards said he needed to be removed from the area. Police attempted to interview him, but the affidavit states the victim was uncooperative, intoxicated, and possibly suffering from a concussion. He reportedly refused medical treatment when Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene.

Police spoke to a friend of the victim’s who was at the scene. The friend said the altercation started when the victim became belligerent and they were asked to leave by security. He said the victim had been rude, but not violent.

The two went outside to the patio. The friend said they called a taxi because they had been drinking and did not want to drive. He said one of the guards came out and told them to leave. The friend said the victim responded with, “No, we have a ride.” The guard reportedly shoved the victim causing him to hit a pole and start bleeding.

The friend showed police where the victim hit his head. According to the affidavit, a Hurricane’s employee was working to clean up the blood. Police told her to stop, and one of the officers took photos of the stain as evidence.

The officers spoke to Cox, who said he escorted the victim and his friend out of the club. He said the victim refused to move off of the patio and started calling him names.

Cox said he gave the victim “a little push.” The officer asked Cox if he was acting in self-defense, and Cox replied that it was just to make the victim move. Cox said he checked to make sure the victim didn’t have a broken neck.

Police released the victim, who left with his friend. Robert Hannan, the owner of Hurricane’s, came to the club so the officers could review the security footage.

The affidavit describes the security footage, stating it appeared the victim and his friend were waiting for a ride, and did not impede passengers entering and leaving the business.

Cox reportedly then approached the two and began arguing with them.

“Blake, unexpectedly and unprovoked, stepped forward and shoved (the victim),” the officer wrote in the affidavit.

The victim is seeing falling backward and hitting his head, falling unconscious for about a minute. An officer asked Hannan what could warrant that use of force, to which Hannan replied, “You can’t do that.”

The affidavit states the victim’s friend then called 911. A second security guard is seen arriving on scene and appears to be upset with the friend as he calls police, according to the affidavit. Another employee is seen putting a rag under the victim’s head.

Cox is seen shouting and pointing at the victim. There was no audio in the recording, though police note that the second security guard is seen grabbing Cox and pulling him back.

Cox watched the video with police, narrating as it played. The affidavit states that when the video showed him shoving the victim, Cox said: “I probably shouldn’t have pushed him like that.”

Cox was arrested, but released the next day after a prosecutor asked police to follow up with the victim about his injury.

Aggravated battery is punishable with up to 15 years in prison. A no-contact order was issued between Cox and the victim. At time of publishing, Hannan had not responded to a request for comment.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 9 in Bonneville District Court.

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