Gardipe gets 10 years for assault with machete
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For assaulting a woman with a machete over the theft of five dollars, District Judge James Manley committed a Ronan man to the Montana Department of Corrections for 10 years with all but time served of 253 days suspended.
Amiel Gardipe Jon Jr., 23, pled guilty to felony assault with a weapon on Aug. 17. The sentence was handed down at District Court in Polson on Nov. 25.
According to court records, on Feb. 23, law enforcement officers responded to a report that a woman was being treated at St. Luke Community Healthcare hospital in Ronan for a serious cut to her hand. At the scene, the injured woman told Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Hines that she was at a trailer on Canyon Mill Road earlier when Gardipe cut her with a machete.
The cut “extends between her ring and middle finger almost to her wrist,” as demonstrated by prosecutor Ben Anciaux with the Lake County Attorney’s Office.
Gardipe’s aunt, Carla Gardipe, was at the trailer on Canyon Mill Road where the attack occurred. She said she heard Gardipe state that he was going to get his machete because someone had stolen five dollars from him. She told Hines that she thought Gardipe was “joking.” She also said Gardipe had left in his sister’s car.
Hines noted that he found a sheath for a machete at the trailer. He also documented finding blood on the floor and blood-soaked paper towels in a trashcan.
An “attempt to locate” was issued on the car Gardipe was driving, and he was quickly located. Authorities said they found a machete measuring 23-inches long inside the car, and Gardipe was placed under arrest.