Montana officer who punched motorists loses certification

HELENA – A Montana police officer who punched a man after an off-duty traffic collision has lost his certification and can no longer work as a law enforcement officer in the state.

The Independent Record reported the Public Safety Officer Standards and Training Council on Thursday revoked the certification of East Helena police officer Robert Gutowski, who has changed his last name to Durrant.

The POST Council found Durrant lied about his contact with the 70-year-old man after the September crash and was convicted of misdemeanor assault.

Durrant said he was distraught because his mother, who was recovering from brain surgery, hit her head on the dash.

Durrant was placed on unpaid leave for a week. City officials would not say if or when Durrant lost his job.

He has 30 days to contest the ruling.