Lake County District Court news for Oct. 1, 2014
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Judge James A. Manley dealt with the following cases Sept. 24:
Randall Joe Michel, Jr., 27, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to felony burglary.
According to court documents Polson Police responded to a burglary at Burger Barn restaurant on Aug. 23, 2008. The owner of the business told officers that he found a window broken out of the north side of the building when he opened the building. Bags of frozen food were missing.
Officers collected samples of blood smears left at the scene of the crime. People who lived next to the business showed officers foot tracks through their garden that led to two abandoned bags of frozen potatoes and a roll of frozen hamburger patties. A blood smear was collected from the items.
On Aug. 1 an analyst from the State Crime lab contacted the Polson Police Department to let them know the blood sample had been matched to a person whose DNA was stored in the state’s computer bank as a result of a felony conviction.
An omnibus hearing was set for Nov. 12. A jury trial was set or Jan. 20, 2015.
Charles L. Schull, 48, Polson, pleaded not guilty to felony partner/family member assault, third offense.
According to court documents Polson Police responded to a call Aug. 11 that Schull was beating a woman. Schull told officers the pair had been arguing, but that the altercation was not physical. Officers found the apartment where the incident took place to be in disarray with couch cushions missing.
The woman refused ambulance service and shook as she spoke to officers. The victim told officers she was moving out of the apartment and the pair got into an argument over keys when Schull “went postal” on her and threw her on the couch and twisted her arm behind her back. The victim said she was afraid that Schull would break her arm.
Officers noted a lump on the side of the woman’s head and red marks on her face. Witnesses said they heard the victim screaming for help during the ordeal and heard Schull shouting “get out or I will make you get out.”
Schull has two previous convictions of domestic battery and domestic violence.
An omnibus hearing was set for Nov. 12. A jury trial was set for Jan. 20.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Sept. 25:
Sheldon Hameline, 34, Big Arm, had a suspended three-year sentence for felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs revoked. Hameline was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections, none suspended. Hameline will be placed in the Connection Corrections and pre-release programs after the sentence is completed.
According to court documents the original sentence stems from a July 20, 2012 incident where sheriff’s deputies and Flathead Tribal Police officers found a glass methamphetamine pipe in a search of a vehicle at Standing Arrow Powwow. Hameline admitted he used the pipe to smoke methamphetamine and marijuana.
A suspended sentence was handed down for the offense. Hameline was found to have violated the terms of his probation by being involved in an aggravated family member/partner assault on May 31. In that incident officers found needles and spoons in Hameline’s possession.
Corey Mike Kelly, 25, unknown address, pleaded not guilty to two counts of felony child endangerment, misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol, first offense, two counts of misdemeanor child safety restraint, and misdemeanor driving while license suspended or revoked.
According to court documents Kelly operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol with a 3-year-old child in the vehicle that was not properly restrained. Kelly’s driver’s license was suspended or revoked at the time.
An omnibus hearing was set for Nov. 6. A jury trial was set for Jan. 12.
Bridget Winkler, 42, Plains, pleaded not guilty to felony assault on a peace officer.
According to court documents Lake County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on Highway 35 for a report of Winkler breaking the windows out of a car. Winkler was standing on top of a station wagon when deputies arrived. Winkler was screaming profanities at onlookers and stomping her feet on the hood of the car.
Deputies tried to coax Winkler off the car to no avail. A deputy was bitten when law enforcement lifted her off the car and tried to handcuff her.
An omnibus hearing was set for Nov. 6. A jury trial was set for Jan. 12, 2015.
Timothy J. Piedalue, 51, Polson, pleaded not guilty to felony driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense.
According to court documents a Flathead Tribal Police officer responded to a report of a hit and run at 4:33 p.m. on Aug. 1 near mile marker 45 on Highway 93.
Piedalue was found two blocks away in his home with a severely disabled vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle at the scene. Piedalue told officers he had been drinking and knew he was in trouble so he went home to wait for officers. Piedalue showed officers a bottle full of vodka in his vehicle.
A breath sample indicated Piedalue had Blood Alcohol Content of .409. Another breath test indicated Piedalue’s BAC was .348. Piedalue has been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs at least three times.
An omnibus hearing was set for Nov. 6. A jury trial was set for Jan. 12, 2015.
Charles Leroy Cahoon, 48, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs. According to court documents Lake County sheriff’s deputies responded to a conflict between Cahoon and a roommate on Aug. 18.
Cahoon was found with white powdery residue around his nostril. The roommate told an officer that Cahoon snorted pills. A search of the residence revealed three hydrocodone pills in a bottle, a plate with several snort tubes, pill residue, and Cahoon’s ID on it.
Cahoon told the deputy that he did not have a prescription and that a relative had sent him the pills.
An omnibus hearing was set for Nov. 20. A jury trial was set for Jan. 26.
Travis Thingelstad, 30, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to two counts of misdemeanor violation of order of protection.
According to court documents Thingelstad sent two threatening and degrading text messages to a woman who he was ordered to have no contact with under an order of protection between April 11 and June 1.
Lake County sheriff’s deputies found messages on the victim’s phone from Thingelstad that called her derogatory slurs and said “I pray you get raped and left in a ditch.” Thingelstad admitted to sending the messages.
The victim told authorities she is afraid of what Thingelstad might to do to her and is emotionally distressed by the ordeal.
An omnibus hearing was set for Oct. 2. A jury trial was set for Oct. 27.
Brian Gifford, 23, Ronan, in a change of plea pleaded guilty to felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
According to court documents Gifford was arrested on warrants on June 20. An empty pen tube with drug residue was found on Gifford’s person. Gifford admitted the pen tube was his snort tube and that he had snorted Lortab earlier.
Sentencing was set for Oct. 30.
