State drops felony charges against West River conservative activist
Shad Olson now faces just two misdemeanors following Friday's decision
A conservative activist who was hit with two felony charges last year stemming from an alleged incident of domestic abuse has had those charges dropped.
Shad Olson was arrested earlier this year and charged because of an alleged incidence of violence that took place at his home north of Rapid City. He was taken into custody by the Meade County Sheriff’s office. The two felony charges were for domestic abuse and aggravated assault involving serious bodily injury, and another for strangulation. Both were dropped, according to court documents.
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According to a motion for remand filed by his attorney, Todd Love of Rapid City, the state had agreed to drop those two charges, leaving just two misdemeanor charges stemming from the same incident left to consider.
The motion seeks to send the case back to the lower court where it was first considered.
“The state has agreed to dismiss the felony charges currently pending and has agreed to a remand of this matter to magistrate court for further proceedings on the remaining misdemeanor charges,” Love wrote in his motion. He declined to comment when contacted by The Dakota Scout.
Olson still faces two class-one misdemeanor charges, both having to do with simple assault. One charge of a class-one misdemeanor can carry up to a year in county jail, a $2,000 fine, or both.
A former television anchor for Rapid City area stations KOTA Territory and KNBN, Olson first gained notoriety in political circles in the Black Hills when he was forced out of the news business in 2010 for speaking at a Tea Party rally. Later that year, he joined former state legislator Gordon Howie’s gubernatorial run. Olson would go on to work for Neal Tapio’s Congressional campaign in 2018. That same year, he initiated an unsuccessful effort to keep two Democratic lawmakers from being seated in the state Legislature over residency violation claims.
He has previously hosted the right-wing podcast, The Shad Olson Show, and written two books.
Olson confirmed in a text message that the charges against him had been dropped. He has remained active on Facebook posting about national and state political events.
The Meade County State’s Attorney office refused to provide details as to why the two felony charges against Olson had been dropped. A jury trial on the matter is currently scheduled for Feb. 6.
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