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Aug 21, 2023

Former Idaho gubernatorial candidate Ammon Bundy arrested on warrant in Gem County

In this file photo, Ammon Bundy announces his candidacy for governor of Idaho during a campaign event on June 19, 2021. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images) This story was first published by Boise State

In this file photo, Ammon Bundy announces his candidacy for governor of Idaho during a campaign event on June 19, 2021. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

This story was first published by Boise State Public Radio on Aug. 11, 2023.

Ammon Bundy, the anti-government provocateur, has been arrested according to the Gem County dispatch service.

Bundy has had an active arrest warrant since mid-April after an Ada County judge found him in contempt of court for refusing to show up to legal proceedings for nearly a year over a civil lawsuit filed by St. Luke’s Health System.

His bail was set at $10,000. Bundy was still in jail as of 5 a.m. Saturday, the dispatch service confirmed to the Idaho Capital Sun.

Bundy, Rodriguez ordered to pay $52.5M for Idaho hospital harassment, jury rules

Gem County Sheriff Donnie Wunder was initially hesitant to serve Bundy legal notices in the case, saying he didn’t want to risk harm coming to his deputies “…over a civil issue.”

The state’s largest health system sued Bundy, as well as his associate, Diego Rodriguez, for defamation. Both men accused the hospital of kidnapping Rodriguez’s infant grandson, who was the subject of a child protection case.

Bundy and Rodriguez called for protests over the child’s hospitalization, which eventually resulted in a lockdown at St. Luke’s downtown Boise campus, along with threats called into the hospital’s switchboard, according to a sworn statement by the organization’s vice president of population health.

An Ada County jury sided with St. Luke’s last month, forcing him, his associate, Diego Rodriguez, and their respective business entities to pay the hospital $52.5 million, according to the Idaho Statesman.

Idaho Capital Sun reporter Kyle Pfannenstiel contributed to this report.

Editor’s note: St. Luke’s is a financial supporter of Boise State Public Radio, but had no knowledge of, or input, into this story.

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by James Dawson, Idaho Capital Sun August 12, 2023

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James Dawson covers politics and a bit of everything else for Boise State Public Radio. Outside of public meetings, you can find him fly fishing, making cool things out of leather or watching the Seattle Mariners' latest rebuilding season.