Jail sentence for man who pulled knife on police officer

Phillip Cotney of Sundance has been sentenced to between four and seven years in jail after allegedly pulling a knife on a police officer who had approached him outside a local bar.

While on regular patrol on July 24, 2020, a Sundance Police Officer observed Cotney sitting outside the Turf Bar. Aware of an active warrant for Cotney, the officer allegedly approached him, advised him of the warrant and asked him to stand up.

According to court reports, Cotney became very angry, went to the street and pulled a knife from his back pocket. Cotney allegedly then pulled the blade out, pointed it at the officer and said he was “not going back to jail”.

The officer reports he pulled his sidearm and requested back-up. He talked to Cotney, keeping him at gunpoint, and repeatedly tried to get him to drop the knife; Cotney allegedly continued to refuse.

According to court reports, Cotney repeatedly took a step or two away from the officer, and the officer then advanced the same number of steps. A Crook County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrived on scene.

Cotney allegedly continued to refuse to drop the knife. The officer reports that he walked slowly towards Cotney, who continued to back away and kept wielding the knife.

“At one point, this officer told Mr. Cotney that if he put his knife away, I would put my gun away,” the officer reports in his affidavit.

Eventually, Cotney placed the knife in his right rear pocket. However, according to reports, when a second deputy arrived, he went for it again.

The officer reports that he “quickly drew down on him” and ordered him to leave the knife alone. Cotney was taken into custody and transported to the Crook County Detention Center.

Cotney was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of aggravated assault and battery and one misdemeanor count of interference with a peace officer.

On the first count, he was sentenced by Judge Stuart S. Healy III to between four and seven years in a penal institution; on the second, he was sentenced to one year of incarceration to run concurrently to the first sentence. He was also fined $750.