Former state Sen. Mike Jorgenson peers through the window in the front door of his Copa restaurant, 9265 Government Way/Hayden last spring. Jorgenson opened the Copa in July 2011. Nils Rosdahl wrote this article about the restaurant at the time here.
Former state Sen. Mike Jorgenson was arrested Tuesday afternoon at his restaurant, The Copa, in Hayden, for investigation of misdemeanor battery. An incident report from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department said Jorgenson, 64, allegedly grabbed an employee by the jacket and threw him to the ground over a dispute about money. The alleged victim told deputies he found out his wages had been cut when picking up his pay check. The alleged victim, identified as Benjamin Chavez III, 41, “stated that he attempted to talk with Jorgenson about the money dispute, but Jorgenson became enraged, rushed him saying get out, then grabbed him and threw him to the ground,” the incident report said/David Cole, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.(Booking photo courtesy Kootenai County Sheriff's Department, Coeur d'Alene Press)
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.
for investigation of misdemeanor battery. An incident report from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department said Jorgenson, 64, allegedly grabbed an employee by the jacket and threw him to the ground over a dispute about money. The alleged victim told deputies he found out his wages had been cut when picking up his pay check. The alleged victim, identified as Benjamin Chavez III, 41, “stated that he attempted to talk with Jorgenson about the money dispute, but Jorgenson became enraged, rushed him saying get out, then grabbed him and threw him to the ground,” the incident report said/David Cole, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here. (Booking photo courtesy Kootenai County Sheriff's Department, Coeur d'Alene Press)
