Update, March 3: According to Fox affiliate KEVN, Shad Olson, officially underwent his arraignment on Feb. 21. The former news anchor has entered a not-guilty plea on all charges. The original details of Olson’s arrest are below.
Original Story, Feb. 13: A former South Dakota-based news anchor is behind bars and potentially facing years in prison after he allegedly assaulted a woman. Shad Olson, who previously anchored for KOTA and KNBN television in Rapid City, remains held at the Meade County Jail after he was arrested on Sunday, Feb. 4 on an aggravated assault domestic violence allegation.
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Olson’s arrest stemmed from a Feb. 2 incident at his home north of Rapid City in Meade County, according to a probable cause affidavit, per the Rapid City Journal. Olson, 51, allegedly “slammed” the victim, allegedly his girlfriend of at least eight years, “down multiple times and chased her from her house,” the victim, who made the report from Working Against Violence, Inc., told a dispatcher, according to the Argus Leader. The victim told a responding officer that Olson “put his hands on her by grabbing he [sic] shoulders. (She) tried to remove Shad’s hand and told him to not touch her.” The affidavit added that Olson then “flipped her over and picked her up and threw [her] down on the floor” four or five times.
“[The victim] said she was having a hard time breathing and its [sic] hard to talk as she touched the side of her stomach,” the report reads. “[The victim] said she was still aching and described the assault as an animal killing an animal and that Shad isn’t human.”
The victim, who told the officer that she “thought she was going to die,” said Olson chased her as she attempted to flee the house. As Olson chased her, he reportedly told her “not to ruin his reputation and continued to follow her.” After the victim relented and returned to their home, Olson allegedly lifted her up by her throat stating, ‘You made me do this’ and continued shaking her while her feet were off the ground.” When she attempted to flee a second time, Olson began “blocking her in.” She eventually ran to a neighbor’s home, and a deputy later met her. Olson is being held at the Meade County Jail on a $5,000 bail. When asked by the officer if Olson had assaulted her before, the victim responded, “Yes.” In the affidavit, the deputy noted “bruises on the victim’s body and her statements that it hurt to breathe.” Olson’s relation to the victim is unclear.
The former news anchor was arrested on Feb. 4 and booked at the Meade County Jail on an aggravated assault domestic violence allegation, which is a class 3 felony. The charge carried a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to a $30,000 fine. Olson, who is being held on a $5,000 cash or surety bond, is scheduled to appear in Meade County Court for his arraignment on Wednesday, Feb. 21.
Olson previously worked as a news anchor for KOTA Territory News, an ABC-affiliated television station, as well as KNBN. He was suspended him from his on-air position at KOTA in April 2010 after he gave a speech at a “tax day” rally held by Citizens for Liberty, a move his supervisors called “an ethical lapse.” He debuted on KNBN NewsCenter1, a small, locally-owned Rapid City TV station and NBC affiliate, in October 2012, though he was later replaced in 2015.
