Just after 12:00 p.m. on Monday, Missoula Police started receiving multiple traffic complaints about a specific vehicle. At around 12:30 p.m., MPD received an additional complaint from a business in the 600 block of Southwest Higgins. Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh explains.

“The complainant there said that a woman had been asked to leave and she was refusing,” Welsh said. “She appeared to be intoxicated and she was yelling and screaming. At one point, she drove her vehicle up onto a grassy area before striking another unintended vehicle in the parking lot.”

The vehicle left the scene as officers were converging on that area. An officer eventually found the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. According to Welsh, the vehicle pulled into the Russel Square Shopping Center.

“The driver was identified as 38-year-old Brandi Henri,” Welsh said. “Henri was in such a state that she refused to follow instructions. It got to the point where other officers joined the initial officer. Henri began to fight with them. She was kicking and scratching while trying to avoid being placed in handcuffs.”

Welsh says Henri was finally secured, but she continued to kick at the officers and had to be put in further restraint. While being transported to jail, Henri told an officer that she was HIV positive.

“This caused some concern because all of the officers had suffered minor scratches,” Welsh said. “Some were actively bleeding from the incident. They had to begin HIV exposure protocol. She eventually admitted that she had lied and made that up and that she was not HIV positive. However, the officers had to continue with the protocol until they were assured that Henri was not HIV positive.”

According to Welsh, the hospital was able to was determined there was no risk of exposure to the officers. Henri is being held for felony assault on a peace officer and a handful of other misdemeanors.

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