Shots fired at car; man faces charges

An Evergreen man is accused of firing several gunshots at a vehicle he wrongly believed carried an angry drug dealer.

No one was hurt, although one of the shots "came extremely close to striking" the driver, according to sheriff's deputy Lance Norman.

"He was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, driving a white car," Norman said of the victim.

Jailed is Albert Costa, 32, of Evergreen. Flathead County Sheriff Jim Dupont said he will be charged, probably with attempted homicide.

Norman said the story began two weeks ago, when several men went to a home at Meadow Manor, a mobile home court on Conrad Drive. They reportedly forced their way into the home and assaulted a man, who was seriously cut in the face with a knife, Norman said. That incident was not reported to authorities.

A series of threatening calls followed, he said. The friction was over a drug deal involving 14 grams of methamphetamine, Dupont said. One call reportedly warned that the residents would be hurt by someone driving a white car.

Monday night, a white car went by the home a couple of times. Costa, his girlfriend, two children and another man and woman were at the home, Norman said.

Costa and Raynaldo Martinez reportedly went outside and Costa fired several rounds from a .380-caliber handgun.

Norman says he believes four or five rounds hit the vehicle.

The driver was unhurt.

Costa was wanted on warrants. He reportedly turned himself in at the sheriff's office Tuesday; he is wanted on warrants from Kalispell police and the sheriff's office.

Norman said the incident is still under investigation and more charges may follow.

The case has been referred to the county attorney's office to decide what charges are appropriate.