Cheyenne Cop Takes Boot to Face While Arresting Robbery Suspect

A 53-year-old Cheyenne transient is facing felony charges after allegedly robbing a person at knifepoint and booting a police officer in the face.

According to a booking sheet, Edward Steven Bernhoft was arrested around 8:30 yesterday morning, Oct. 19, after police were called to a report of two males fighting at the intersection of Grant Avenue and West Lincolnway.

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Police say Bernhoft was visibly and verbally agitated when they arrived, and while on the scene, the victim from an Oct. 18 aggravated robbery drove by an identified Bernhoft as the man who robbed him of a $10 bill at knifepoint.

When police handcuffed Bernhoft, police say he became progressively more agitated, asking what his charges were.

Police advised him that they would tell him what he was being detained for once he was out of the roadway and safely contained.

When police went to place Bernhoft in the back of one of their patrol vehicles, police say he refused to move his right foot from the door frame so they could shut the door and began yelling about the charges he was facing.

One of the officers then went to the driver's side of the vehicle to pull Bernhoft by his arms all the way into the vehicle.

Once the officer pulled Bernhoft backward, another officer attempted to get Bernhoft's feet in the vehicle, at which time Bernhoft reportedly kicked him in the face with the bottom of his boot.

Police say the officer sustained apparent abrasions to the left side of his forehead and had swelling and redness to the left side of his lower lip.

Bernhoft was subsequently booked into the Laramie County Detention Center for assaulting a police officer and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.

If convicted of both felonies, he could face five to 35 years in prison.