An Ada County judge decided that a man who was beaten so severely by a Meridian police officer that he needed facial reconstruction surgery will spend at least a few years in prison.
Boise resident Colt Seward was arrested in May 2023 after officers found him “passed out behind the wheel” in a traffic lane with his engine running near the intersection of North Ten Mile Road and West Ustick Road in Meridian, police said in a news release at the time.
The Meridian Police Department said Officer Donald Heida used force during the arrest because Seward slipped his handcuffs while in the back of the patrol car. Video of his arrest was widely shared after a bystander captured Heida punching Seward at least half a dozen times in the face and head, some blows landing while Seward was face down in a parking lot, pinned by Heida, who was helped by another officer.
Seward, 32, pleaded guilty through an agreement in August to possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia; unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; driving under the influence; eluding arrest; and possession of a prescription drug without authorization. Court records show that prosecutors dropped a police battery charge.