Prescott Valley Mayor Kell Palguta has been issued a criminal citation for misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct following a confrontation at a downtown Prescott bar earlier this month, with police saying surveillance footage shows the 49-year-old shoving and grabbing another patron. The incident unfolded at the Bird Cage Saloon on Aug. 16, and Palguta was expected to receive his citation within a couple of days of the investigation's conclusion.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the dispute began around 4 p.m. when Palguta sat down at the bar next to a woman. Per police, the woman's husband returned to find Palguta in his seat, and when the husband pulled his original barstool back toward his spot, Palguta snatched it away with both hands. Prescott Police reviewed video evidence and witness statements before determining there was probable cause to identify Palguta as the primary aggressor, according to Prescott eNews, rather than treating the confrontation as a mutual altercation.
What the Surveillance Video Reportedly Shows
Police say the footage captured Palguta pulling the barstool away from the other man, then shoving him toward the bar and grabbing him by the arm and shoulder. Saloon employees stepped in to break up the scuffle before it escalated further. Prescott Police launched their investigation the following day, Aug. 17, ultimately issuing the citation for misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct.
Because the altercation happened inside a bar in downtown Prescott rather than in Prescott Valley, the case fell to the Prescott Police Department instead of the Prescott Valley force where Palguta spent nearly two decades as a sworn officer. That jurisdictional split, the outlet's report notes, meant the investigation was handled independently of the department Palguta himself once served, sidestepping any potential conflict of interest.
A Decorated Former Officer Now Facing Charges
The citation lands with particular weight given Palguta's background. He served with the Prescott Valley Police Department from 1998 until his retirement around 2017, earning both Officer of the Year and the Police Medal of Valor, per the Prescott Valley municipal government. After leaving the force, he went on to teach Administration of Justice courses as an adjunct faculty member at Yavapai College and holds a master's degree in criminal justice administration from New Mexico State University.
Palguta was first elected mayor of Prescott Valley in 2018, becoming the youngest mayor in Yavapai County history, and won re-election in 2022. He is currently seeking a third term that would run through December 2026, according to the town's official website — meaning the citation arrives in the middle of an active election cycle in a town of nearly 47,000 residents, larger than neighboring Prescott itself.
Palguta Responds, Vows to Keep Working
Palguta has pushed back on litigating the matter publicly. He said he would not debate the details through social media or what he called the court of public opinion, while confirming that charges related to the incident were moving forward. He also thanked the Prescott Police Department for its professionalism throughout the process, and said he would remain focused on serving Prescott Valley residents and continue doing the job he was elected to do.
Legal Exposure Under Arizona Law
Both charges against Palguta are Class 1 misdemeanors under Arizona law. Misdemeanor assault under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-1203 can range from a Class 3 to a Class 1 offense, with a Class 1 conviction carrying up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine, according to the Shouse Law Group. Disorderly conduct under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-2904 is likewise a Class 1 misdemeanor, carrying the same maximum penalties of up to six months in jail, probation and up to $2,500 in fines, per MayesTelles PLLC. The citation represents an accusation, not a conviction, and the allegations remain unproven in court.
Inside the Bird Cage Saloon on Whiskey Row
The confrontation played out at a bar steeped in local history. The Bird Cage Saloon, at 160 S. Montezuma St., sits on Prescott's historic Whiskey Row and dates to the late 1960s, known for its taxidermy bird collection and a hand-carved 19th-century back bar, according to HelloPrescott. Whiskey Row itself was rebuilt in stone after a devastating 1900 fire destroyed the district's original wooden saloons, and the Bird Cage building later survived a two-alarm fire in May 2012 before reopening to patrons.
