A former Loveland Police Department officer accused of hitting a suspect during a protective custody hold in May of 2023 has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge and will face trial in early August. 29 year old Russell Maranto pleaded not guilty to third-degree assault causing injury. The Loveland Reporter Herald reports Maranto was fired from the Loveland Police Department in late May after he allegedly hit 60-year-old Angelia Hall, who was placed into protective custody and taken to Medical Center of the Rockies for evaluation after she was found “wandering in and out of traffic and speaking incoherently” in the area of North Garfield Avenue and East 29th Street the evening of May 20th. A judge scheduled Maranto to stand for a five-day jury trial beginning Aug. 5th.