A 34-year-old Upton man denies allegations he pulled a gun on a group of people at a Gillette hotel and threatened to “put a bullet in everybody’s head.”
That’s what Gillette Police Department investigators allege a reportedly intoxicated Dakota Adams did during a Saturday confrontation with his girlfriend while their children were present at the National 9 Inn on the east side of the city.
Police were contacted by a bystander at the hotel who reported Adams, who “appeared to be intoxicated and extremely aggravated” and arguing with a woman, while another man and her older children were behind her, according to an affidavit of probable cause written by GPD Officer Kimberly Hockman.
“Dakota had a revolver in his hand and threatened to ‘put a bullet in everybody’s head,’” the affidavit says.
The witness “explained it appeared to be a family dispute between Dakota and a female,” Hockman wrote, adding that Adams and the woman were in a five-year relationship, but that she wanted out.
In fact, she was at the hotel with another man, identified in the affidavit as her new boyfriend.
By the time police arrived at the National 9, Adams had “placed the revolver in his waistband and left the area in a gray Ford Edge with no rear plate … (and) with two children in the back seat,” the affidavit says.
What She Said
Because Adams may have been armed and the children in the back of the car — which belonged to his father, and who was in the car with Adams — police were prepared to conduct a “high-risk stop,” Hockman wrote.
They wouldn’t need to, as Adams pulled into a gas station, where police caught up to him, according to the affidavit.
Hockman then arrived with the girlfriend, who “explained she had come to Gillette to cash her paycheck,” and that her “vehicle was parked outside of the National 9 because her new boyfriend resided there,” she wrote.
The woman had been getting repeated phone calls and text messages from Adams, then he spotted her car at the hotel, the affidavit says.
“When (the woman) came outside to roll up her windows, Dakota was in the passenger seat of (his father’s) vehicle watching her,” the document continues. “Dakota got out and started walking towards (her) and her two older children.”
Believing Adams was trying to get to the two older children to take them with him, the girlfriend told police that he “repeatedly said, ‘Get the f*** out of my way’ and tried pushing past (the woman),” according to the affidavit.
She said she told Adams to leave because of how he was behaving and she didn’t want him scaring their kids.
Adams eventually retreated back to his father’s car, then emerged with a gun.
Not The First Time
The woman told police that she heard his father say, “Cody, don’t,” and explained that they all sometimes would call Adams “Cody.”
That’s when she “looked back and saw Dakota pointing the gun directly at her,” the affidavit says. “Dakota said something to the effect of, ‘Why don’t I just cut everybody in this mother f***er down’ while waving the gun around.”
Adams allegedly backed off when he realized that others were watching the confrontation and that at least one bystander had called police.
The woman also said that Adams “was a chronic alcoholic and this was not the first time Dakota had become belligerent and aggressive towards her,” Hockman wrote, “even stating this was not the first time he threatened her with a gun.”
What He Said
For his part, Adams denies threatening anyone and initially claimed he didn’t pull a gun. He later admitted he did get a gun from the car and had it in his hand, but denied pointing it at anyone, the affidavit says.
“Dakota advised he was in town from Upton with his father and two children to do some grocery shopping and to run a few errands,” the affidavit says. “One of those errands was shopping at Gun Traders, where he stated he purchased a ‘defective’ Taurus handgun revolver.”
He also said the gun wasn’t loaded.
Adams knew his girlfriend was at the hotel because she was having trouble cashing a check and was there.
The woman “came outside yelling at him, saying she wanted to end their relationship,” according to the affidavit. “While (she) was yelling at Dakota, she ‘nudged’ him away; however, Dakota never expressed that he felt threatened.”
The Upton man also told police that “he realized what he did was ‘dumb’ and put the gun back,” the affidavit continues.
The man who initially called 911 told police that Adams allegedly confronted him about calling police and that he “believed he may be shot by Dakota at this time,” Hockman wrote.
That’s when Adams then opened the cylinder on his revolver and said there were no bullets in it, got into his car and left the hotel.
Adams was arrested Saturday and had his first appearance in Campbell County Circuit Court on Monday.
A preliminary hearing to determine if there’s enough evidence to continue with a felony prosecution is set for Monday.
If convicted of aggravated assault, Adams could face a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
