Woman pleads guilty to assault with weapon charge
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Roishell St. Dennis
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Roishell St. Dennis, a 27-yearold Missoula woman, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on March 28 to felony assault with a weapon. The charge stems from a pursuit with law enforcement that began in Missoula and ended in Lake County.
According to court records, on Dec. 6, 2017 St. Dennis and 34-year-old Alta Collette Littelight of Hardin were allegedly involved in a robbery and were fleeing the scene when authorities in Missoula began their pursuit. The pursuit was ended for safety reasons when the suspects’ vehicle traveled northbound onto U.S. Hwy. 93. A description of the suspects’ vehicle was forwarded onto law enforcement in Lake County along with Flathead Tribal Police and an attempt to locate the vehicle was issued. A Flathead Tribal Police officer spotted the suspects’ vehicle passing other motorists in a no-passing zone and re-initiated the pursuit. It reached speeds of up to 90 miles per hour over Ravalli hill. The suspects then traveled onto back roads north of St. Ignatius when St. Dennis, a passenger in the vehicle, allegedly displayed a firearm and pointed it at a responding officer.
Lake County Attorney Steve Eschenbacher said they were unable to prove any shots were fired and dismissed the attempted deliberate homicide charge. He says he will recommend St. Dennis be sentenced to the Montana State women’s prison for 20 years with 10 years suspended. Eschenbacher says a similar plea agreement is being offered to Littelight. District Judge James Manley set sentencing for St. Dennis on May 2. She remains in jail on a warrant hold out of Missoula County where she is facing robbery and drug possession charges.
