Lake County District Court news for March 13, 2013
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Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases Wednesday, March 6:
James Schoonover, 44, Deer Lodge, had his 2008 suspended sentence for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, no part suspended. Schoonover will received credit for time served while in custody.
According to court documents, Schoonover violated his probation by testing positive for methamphetamine, having a blood alcohol level of .09 percent and possessing alcohol in his vehicle.
Thurston James, 45, Polson, pleaded not guilty to assault with a weapon, a felony, and burglary, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, April 10, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, June 3. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, the charges stem from a Feb. 13 incident where James allegedly struck a woman across the back and shoulders with a belt after she had asked him to leave her residence.
Brian Wollum, 33, Charlo, pleaded not guilty to criminal endangerment, a felony; tampering with physical evidence, a felony; false alarms to agencies of public safety, a misdemeanor; and false reports to law enforcement officers, a misdemeanor. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, April 17, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, June 17. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, the charges stem from a Jan. 26 incident where Wollum allegedly hit a patch of black ice and rolled his friend’s Jeep. Wollum apparently called 911 and reported that another friend had been driving and wrecked the vehicle, but that friend was afraid to contact authorities because he had been drinking. Meanwhile, a woman called 911 to report that Wollum had called her and told her that he crashed the Jeep while drinking and that his passenger was dead. She didn’t know where Wollum was, and Wollum reported to dispatch that his “friend,” the imaginary other driver, was en route to Charlo from Missoula. Officers were dispatched all over southern Lake County in search of the Jeep and supposedly dead or injured passenger. Eventually, Wollum was stopped in Charlo driving a Jeep with one passenger. Wollum denied making phone calls to dispatch, but then admitted he had made the calls in an effort to beat the woman he had first called to calling police. Wollum said he had thrown his phone out of the vehicle while moving because he knew he was going to get in trouble and he wanted to get rid of possible evidence.
LeRoy Black III, 21, Polson, had his September 2012 deferred sentence for criminal endangerment, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for eight years, three suspended.
According to court documents, Black violated his probation by failing to maintain employment; failing to report to his probation officer as ordered; possessing weapons; driving while under the influence of alcohol; testing positive for methamphetamine and marijuana use; consuming alcohol; driving on a suspended license; failing to pay court-ordered restitution; failing to enter and complete chemical dependency treatment; and associating with known criminals.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, March 7:
Joseph Assiniboine III, 55, Arlee, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 25, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, June 10. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, the charge stems from a Jan. 15 incident where Assiniboine was stopped by a tribal law officer while driving on U.S. Highway 93. Assiniboine appeared to be under the influence of a drug, and he consented to the search of his vehicle. The officer found a bottle labeled “methadone” in the vehicle, and Assiniboine said he had bought the drug from a friend in Missoula.
Joseph Runningbear Stiner, 47, Missoula, had his 2007 suspended sentence for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, fourth or subsequent offense, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 15 years, five suspended.
According to court documents, Stiner violated his probation by traveling outside of his assigned district without permission from his probation officer; failing to maintain employment; changing his residence without notifying his probation officer; failing to update his sexual offender registration when he changed residences; consuming alcohol; failing to pay court-ordered fines, fees and restitution; and associating with someone on federal probation.
