Missoula business owner issued sexual assault citation

A Missoula business owner is facing a sexual assault allegation, though details about the incident included in court documents are sparse.

Drake E. Doepke is cited with misdemeanor sexual assault, Missoula city court filings show. He's pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was initially filed in May.

The charging documents allege Doepke assaulted a woman in early April by inappropriately touching her at a downtown bar on South Higgins Avenue.

Missoula attorney Dwight Schulte is defending Doepke and the Missoula City Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case.

"Mr. Doepke is presumed innocent, and he looks forward to his day in court to present the facts," Schulte said in a phone call with the Missoulian.

Another sexual assault citation was filed on June 11 against Doepke. It's unclear from the documents if both citations are for the same accuser, or more than one person. Missoula Deputy City Attorney Rich Salois declined to comment.

Doepke is a co-owner of multiple restaurants around Missoula, including Florabella and Tres Bonne, the Missoulian previously reported .

His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 5, with a trial tentatively set for Aug. 21 in municipal court.

Zoë Buchli is the education reporter for the Missoulian.

Zoë Buchli Education Reporter