A Pennsburg, Montgomery County woman was struck five times by a Pennsylvania State Police trooper after allegedly grabbing for his firearm and refusing to let go following a crash last week in Bucks County that she blamed on a squirrel.
Dana Renee Kotulka, 41, is charged with felony counts of disarming a law enforcement officer and aggravated assault, as well as misdemeanor charges of assault, resisting arrest, and DUI, stemming from an April 7, 2026 incident in Milford Township.
According to the affidavit, troopers responded around 7:24 p.m. to a report of a single-vehicle crash in which the driver of a Mazda SUV overturned the vehicle after leaving the roadway.
Police identified Kotulka as the driver and said she was uncooperative and gave conflicting accounts of what caused the crash, first blaming a squirrel and later a deer.
Investigators said Kotulka admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the crash, and troopers detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage.
During the investigation, she allegedly became verbally combative, refused commands, and had to be handcuffed for her safety.
While officers attempted to place her in a patrol vehicle, Kotulka allegedly grabbed a trooper’s department-issued firearm and tried to remove it from his holster.
Police said the struggle caused one shot to fire, prompting the trooper to strike her in the face five times in an effort to get her to release the weapon.
After being secured, Kotulka was transported to St. Luke’s Upper Bucks Campus in Quakertown for a blood draw tied to the DUI investigation.
While at the hospital, police allege she continued to act erratically, refused instructions, and kicked an officer, leading to additional charges.
Kotulka is jailed on 10% of $750,000 cash bail ahead of an April 16 preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Lisa Gaier.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
