Lake County District Court news for June 10, 2010
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Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases June 2, 2010:
Everardo Guiterrez Bravo, 43, St. Ignatius, was sentenced to ten years at the Department of Corrections with eight suspended for felony criminal possession with intent to distribute.
According to court records, the sentence stems from an April 8, 2009 incident when a Northwest Drug Task Force Agent served a search warrant for Bravo’s residence. During the search, the officers found a bowl containing marijuana residue, a scale and plastic bags and three pipes inside the master bedroom.
A Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy had his dog sniff the exterior of the house and discovered that under the crawlspace was a cooler. Inside were two plastic shopping bags containing approximately a pound of marijuana.
Cheryl Marie Matt, 40, St. Ignatius, was sentenced to five years at the Department of Corrections with all suspended for felony assault on a police officer.
According to court records, the sentence stems from a March 9 incident when authorities responded to a vehicle assist in St. Ignatius.
Knowing that officers were running a check for warrants against her, Matt pulled out a knife and swung it at one of the officers. Officers managed to take the knife after a short struggle.
During the process of handcuffing, an officer was kneed and kicked in the groin.
Glen Dale Parker, 40, Ronan, had a previously suspended sentence for felony assault with a weapon revoked and was sentenced to 16 years at the Department of Corrections with 11 suspended.
The original sentence called for 20 years at the Department of Corrections with all suspended for a charge that stemmed from a 2003 incident. This sentenced was revoked after Parker admitted to multiple probation violations.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases June 3, 2010:
Bruce Henning, 51, Coaldale, Alberta, Canada, admitted to misdemeanor criminal mischief and was found guilty. He was sentenced to six months in Lake County Jail with all suspended and must pay restitution in the amount of $9,148.88 to the defendent.
According to court records, the sentence stems from an incident on April 5 when Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a report of someone ramming a gate to private property. When the deputy arrived, the property owner had detained Henning at gunpoint.
The owner told police that Henning’s Jeep approached the gate and asked for Bruce through the intercom.
The owner said no one by that name lived there and the Jeep left only to return later and speed through the gate. The owner grabbed his firearm, jumped in his truck and was able to intercept the Jeep, forcing it to stop before it reached the house. The owner then detained Henning until police arrived.
Theresia Wittman Fox, 62, Bigfork, was sentenced to 10 years with five suspended at the Department of Corrections for the first count of felony negligent vehicular assault and 10 years with all suspended for the second count of the same charge. For two counts of misdemeanor negligent vehicular assault, she was sentenced to one year in Lake County Jail with all but 10 days suspended for each count. Sentences for all counts are to run consecutively.
According to court records, the sentences stem from a Sept. 18 incident, when a Montana Highway Patrol Trooper was dispatched to a two-vehicle crash in Woods Bay. He spoke to witnesses and examined physical evidence when he arrived on the scene. He then determined that a northbound vehicle driven by Fox, drifted over the centerline toward southbound traffic. As an oncoming vehicle approached, she swerved back toward the fog line, over corrected, then swerved back across the northbound lane and into the southbound lane, striking the vehicle.
Fox admitted to the trooper in an interview that she had three beers at a restaurant in Kalispell. As she spoke, the trooper noticed she slurred her words, was unsteady on her feet, smelled of an alcoholic beverage and her eyes were bloodshot and glossy.
Fox’s poor performance on three field sobriety tests indicated to the trooper that she was under the influence of alcohol. Fox refused a breath test, and was then arrested.
During booking at the Lake County Jail, she refused to perform any sobriety maneuvers, refused a breath test and would not answer any questions about the crash.
Of the four passengers in the other vehicle, three suffered injuries. One suffered broken ribs and soft tissue injuries, another suffered a broken foot that required surgery to repair and the other suffered a broken pelvis, jaw, arm and eye socket in the crash, which resulted in several days of intensive care.
Justin M. Seely, 42, Hot Springs, pleaded not guilty to felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor criminal possession of drug paraphernalia on May 29. An omnibus hearing was set for June 17 at 9 a.m.
According to court records, the charges stem from a May 13 incident, when Seely allegedly shot a rifle at the door of his sister’s trailer during an argument.
When Seely was detained for an investigation, officers seized a .22 caliber rifle and a pipe commonly used to smoke marijuana.
