Lake County District Court news for Nov. 4, 2010
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Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases Thursday, Oct. 28:
James Adams, 51, Arlee, will go to trial after his plea agreement was rejected by the court as being “absolutely absurd and ridiculous.” His counsel was asking for a five-year commitment to the Department of Corrections and Adams has eight prior felony convictions.
The Court ordered a not guilty plea re-entered and an omnibus hearing is set for Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 9 a.m.
According to court records, the DUI charge stems from a March 1 incident when a Montana Highway Patrol trooper responded to reports of a reckless motorcycle driver south of Ronan, who then crashed while traveling northbound on US Highway 93, north of Ronan.
A Ronan officer reported that he’d activated his top lights in order to initiate a traffic stop and then observed the driver, identified as Adams, abruptly accelerate before steering to the right and then crashing.
The trooper also noted Adams was abrasive and argumentative with medical personnel, and at the hospital the trooper noted that his breath smelled of an alcoholic beverage, his eyes were bloodshot, his speech was slurred, and he seemed confused.
Adams later admitted to buying a liter of whiskey earlier in the day and having six shots before driving the motorcycle.
The assault with a weapon charges stems from an April 4 incident when Adams allegedly threatened numerous people at a Lake County residence.
Geoffrey Baldridge, 21, residence unknown, was sentenced to Lake County Jail for six months, all suspended except 21 days for criminal mischief, a misdemeanor. Baldridge has already served 21 days.
According to court records, charges stem from May 23, 2008 incident where Charlo School was broken into, fire extinguishers discharged, computers and other items were damaged and a vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies were stolen.
Desiree Weed, 31, Polson, was sentenced to six months in Lake County Jail, all suspended, for theft, a misdemeanor. She was also ordered to serve 14 days in LCJ and receive credit for time served to date. If Weed remains employed, she may do house arrest.
According to court records, the charges stem from Weed’s connection to two separate break-ins at a Polson hardware store. In the first, she allegedly took $260 on December 13, 2009. Security cameras were then installed and she was then identified taking $225 on April 9, 2009.
Jon Lozeau, 22, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault with a weapon, both felonies.
Lozeau remains at liberty. An omnibus hearing is set for Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. Jury trial is set for February 28, 2011, at 9 a.m.
According to court records, charges stem from an Oct. 2 incident where a tribal officer responded to reports that a man had been stabbed. When the victim was interviewed at St. Luke Hospital in Ronan, the victim said he was walking behind some apartments in Ronan when Lozeau allegedly hit him in the side of the face with a rock and then pulled a knife and began slashing at him. The victim told officers he believed he was being attacked out of retaliation from a fight the victim had earlier with Lozeau’s brother. Lozeau was later found hiding in a locked bedroom at another person’s residence.
Nathan Lawrence Fisher, 22, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to the charge of assault with a weapon, a felony. Fisher remains in custody. An omnibus hearing is set for Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 9 a.m. Jury trial is set for Jan. 18, 2011, at 9 a.m.
According to court records, charges stem from an Oct. 7 incident where Fisher allegedly hit another man in the face with a shotgun, resulting in bruises and a broken nose after allegedly accusing the victim of implicating Fisher in a previous stabbing in Polson.
Wayne Blickenstaff, 21, Polson, admitted committing the amended offense of partner or family member assault, first offense, a misdemeanor; the offense of criminal endangerment, a felony; and entered an Alford plea to an amended offense of partner or family member assault, second offense, a misdemeanor. The court accepted the plea agreement and found Blickenstaff guilty of the charges.
Sentencing is set for Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 9 a.m.
According to court records, charges stem from an April 25 incident when Polson Police responded to a residence where a domestic assault reportedly occurred.
According to police, a person told them that his friend had several bruises on her face and neck and that she had said she sustained the injuries during a fight with her boyfriend.
When questioned, the woman told police that Blickenstaff went into a rage and began throwing and breaking things around the home before physically attacking her and punching her five times in the face with his closed fist while she held a 5-month-old baby. She stated he also grabbed her by the neck and choked her.
Mark Mergenthaler, 38, of Woods Bay, admitted committing the offense of partner/family member assault, first offense, a misdemeanor. The court accepted the plea agreement and found Mergenthaler guilty of the charge.
Mergenthaler was sentenced to one year in Lake County Jail with all suspended but time served to date.
According to court records, the charges stem from a March 4 incident when a Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a home in Woods Bay where the owner stated that his neighbor had been assaulted. When the deputy arrived, he observed that a woman’s feet were covered in blood, and blood spatters and smears were all over her body. In the woman’s home, the deputy observed a trail of blood leading from the kitchen to a hallway.
The woman told the deputy that Mergenthaler became agitated and began to punch her. He kicked, shoved, and pushed her onto the floor and put her in a chokehold. She had injuries to her nose and also to her wrist.
John Steele, 19, Pablo, admitted committing the offense of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. The court accepted the plea agreement and found Steele guilty. Steele put up a $500 cash bond and asked to be relieved of SCRAM until sentencing. The court authorized SCRAM to be removed and bond to remain.
Sentencing is set for Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 9 a.m.
According to court records, Steele was arrested August 13 in Pablo on a $50,000 warrant. During the pat down search, the Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy found a pill crusher in Steele’s front pocket, with the controlled substance
Lortab inside the crusher. Steele said he did not have a prescription for the pills.
Heather McLeod, 36, no residence, admitted committing the offenses of attempt to assault a peace officer or judicial officer, a felony; and resisting arrest, a misdemeanor. The court accepted the plea agreement and found McLeod guilty. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 9 a.m.
According to court records, the charges stem from a June 15 incident when police were called because McLeod reportedly showed up drunk at a friend’s house and was not welcome there.
When the responding officer arrived at the residence, he was told that McLeod showed up at the residence with her children after she was told to leave and not return. The owner of the residence also said that McLeod appeared to be intoxicated.
Once the officer located McLeod near a building on the property he convinced her to hand the small child she was carrying to a friend. McLeod then swung her closed fist at the officer’s face, missing and hitting him in the chest.
The officer then took her to the ground and tried to handcuff her, but she pulled her hands away and struggled before the deputy was finally able to restrain her.
Jesse Padilla, 37, St. Ignatius, admitted committing the offenses of partner or family member assault, third offense, a felony; and criminal mischief, a misdemeanor. The court accepted the plea, dismissed three additional counts, and found Padilla guilty of the charges.
When Padilla is equipped with SCRAM he will be released until sentencing, which is set for Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 9 a.m. The jury trial set for Dec. 20 will not take place.
According to court records, the charges stem from a September 18 incident where Padilla allegedly entered his former girlfriend’s home to get gas money and forced his way into the bathroom where she was by punching a hole in the door.
After Padilla stepped outside, the former girlfriend locked all the doors, but he returned and kicked down the front door to the kitchen area, frightening the occupants inside, who included three children, all of who are Padilla’s. Padilla has had four prior misdemeanor convictions for partner or family member assault.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, Oct. 28:
Byrdy Roxane Finley, 37, Pablo, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for three years for driving under the influence of alcohol, a felony. The court also recommended Finley be considered for PASSAGES.
Previous conditions of probation were re-imposed.
According to court records, charges stem back to 2007 where Finley was arrested and charged with her fourth or subsequent offense of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Barry Dee Ladd, 35, Ronan, was sentenced to Department of Corrections for five years for theft, a felony.
The sentencing comes after his suspended sentence was revoked for breaking probation. The court also recommended Ladd be screened for an appropriate (rehabilitation) program, and the previous conditions of his probation are re-imposed.
According to court records, charges stem back to 2004 when Ladd stole a 1989 Yamaha motorcycle and then turned around and sold it.
