A contract worker in Yellowstone National Park has pleaded guilty to attacking a park ranger who wouldn’t let her be around her boyfriend during his domestic abuse prosecution.
Chloe Lynn Tullis, 20, changed her plea from not guilty to guilty in the U.S. District Court for Wyoming this month on one charge of assaulting a federal police officer and another of interfering with one.
The former charge is punishable by up to eight years in prison and $250,000 in fines while the latter carries a maximum of one year in jail and $100,000 in fines.
But Tullis has established a plea agreement and may face lesser penalties. The agreement is not publicly filed.
Tullis’ sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 23 in the federal courthouse in Cheyenne. She gave a sentencing at her Oct. 9 change-of-plea hearing, court documents indicate.
Started With The Abuse Case
Circumstances underpinning this case started in June, when Elliot Drawdy, a 19-year-old employee of Yellowstone National Park contract concessionaire company Xanterra, was charged on suspicion of punching and grabbing Tullis, who was his long-term girlfriend.
Drawdy was convicted on that charge and sentenced to 24 days in jail July 1, but he was credited for the 24 days he’d already spent in jail during his prosecution.
During the case, Drawdy was not supposed to be in contact with Tullis, according to an evidentiary affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for Wyoming in Tullis’s case.
Absolutely Not
But a National Parks Service special agent, whom court documents identify as “MH,” noticed Drawdy getting into a car Tullis was driving in the Mammoth Hot Springs area June 13, soon after a judge ordered Drawdy to stay away from Tullis, says the affidavit.
Special Agent MH pulled the car over.
Tullis came out of the vehicle pointing at the agent and yelling at him to leave the pair alone, the document says.
She got back in the vehicle. The agent tapped at Drawdy’s window, and Drawdy walked back to the special agent’s vehicle as commanded. Tullis exited her vehicle again, approached the agent’s vehicle and yelled at him again, the affidavit says.
The court document says the agent ordered her to get back in her car multiple times so he could do his job, and she didn’t comply.
Fleeing And Scuffling
The agent called for backup amid a tense exchange with Tullis, the document says.
U.S. Park Ranger David Dunn arrived.
Drawdy complained of not feeling well, so Special Agent MH checked on him, but Drawdy took off running, the document says. MH caught him near the Big John restroom building.
The affidavit says that just as MH gained control of Drawdy, Tullis jumped on MH’s back while screaming at him.
MH rolled her off his back and took her to the ground. Drawdy got away again, the affidavit says.
On the ground on her back, Tullis yelled at MH, punched his upper body repeatedly, screaming, “I’m going to F-ing kill you,” the document relates. Then she allegedly spat at MH twice, hitting his forehead above his right eye with the first spit projectile and missing him with the second.
She grabbed his waist belt area and pulled both his duty pistol magazines from his belt, the document says.
MH gained control of her, rolled her onto her stomach and handcuffed her.
The affidavit says more park rangers arrived on scene and took control over Tullis while emergency personnel evaluated MH. The agent had a small laceration on his left hand, an abrasion to his right shin, bruising to his right shoulder, a small abrasion to his left cheek and torn clothing, the affidavit says.
Court documents indicate that Tullis has been in jail since June 18, following a confinement order.
Tullis’ attorney did not immediately return a voicemail requesting comment, and Drawdy’s attorney declined to comment on his behalf.
A Handwritten Apology
Drawdy apologized to U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick for the incident in a handwritten letter filed July 3.
“I’m deeply sorry for my behavior following my prior release,” wrote Drawdy. “I made an impulsive, absent-minded decision that I regret.”
Drawdy said he’s been weaning himself off some medications and wasn’t in his right mind during the incident. Still, he continued, “I take full accountability and can assure you I am more stable now and will not disrespect your court again.”
He said he had time to reflect while in jail and is aware that he and Tullis have issues both individually and as partners.
“I need to address these and fully intend to upon release,” he wrote. He said he’s been seeking help via multiple programs, and that he knew “Chloe and I need time apart and will not make the same mistake twice.”
