A Bureau of Indian Affairs police officer accused of cutting his wife with a kitchen knife during a domestic dispute in Devils Lake has reached a settlement with prosecutors.
If Duane Gunville attends a class on preventing domestic violence within a year, prosecutors will drop the aggravated assault charge against him, Ramsey County (N.D.) State's Attorney Lonnie Olson said.
Olson said the settlement came after Gunville's wife told authorities her husband was trying to kill himself Aug. 7 at their home, and that in pulling the knife away from him, she was accidently cut on the chest.
Authorities said Gunville's wife received several stitches and was released from the hospital the same day. Gunville, 41, fled from Devils Lake to the Belcourt, N.D., area, where he was arrested after a standoff, authorities reported.
Gunville, an officer for the Spirit Lake nation, was placed on unpaid administrative leave after the incident. In trying to determine his current employment status, the Herald left a message with the BIA, but that was not returned Thursday.
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Gunville's case had been scheduled to go to trial Thursday.
