Rod Jacobson Severely Beaten After Serving Civil Papers

Rod Jacobson of Polson is recovering id a Cardston, Alta, hospital this week from injuries received when he was beaten by four persons after having served civil papers on a woman at St. Mary’s Saturday night.

Jacobson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lorin Jacobson, is employed as a seasonal road patrol supervisor in Glacier National Park. He and another, Ranger Lloyd Kortge, were both beaten in the incident. Kortge was treated for injuries and released.

According to Mel Ruder, Hungry Horse News publisher who talked to officials early this week, Jacobson and Kortge had served civil papers involving a cattle trespass. Service of the papers was accomplished in Kipp’s Bar in St. Mary's in a routine manner. Four persons attacked the rangers as they left.

Kortge was knocked down but managed to reach his vehicle and get a shotgun. He returned to the bar and the attackers fled.

Witnesses said that Jacobson was knocked out, stomped on and sustained severe facial injuries. He has three fractures—chin, nose and above one eye. There was some damage to an eye socket but doctors felt that it would heal satisfactorily in time. Eight stitches were required to close cuts and blood had to be cleared from Jacobson’s air passage.

Jacobson, said in a conversation with his parents Tuesday, that he did not regain consciousness until he was in the hospital. He is expected to be released from the hospital later this week and will return home. He had intended to attend the reunion of the Polson High School class of 1987 on Sunday.

Publisher Ruder commented that Blackfeet Tribal Police, Glacier county law enforcement officials and the FBI have cooperated in the investigation. The assailants are known, Ruder said, and charges are pending.