Kalispell man pleads guilty in rape case

A Kalispell man accused of forcing a woman into some woods and raping her pleaded guilty Thursday in Flathead County District Court to a reduced charge of criminal endangerment.

Spurlin Martin, 22, was ordered to undergo a sexual offender evaluation before his March 27 sentencing hearing.

Defense attorneys told the court Thursday they were trying to reach an agreement to release Martin on informal house arrest.

Martin was charged in July with sexual intercourse without consent and kidnapping, but prosecutors later filed amended charging documents after evidence was re-evaluated.

According to Kalispell police, a 48-year-old woman was walking down Woodland Park Drive to a friend's house when Martin allegedly accosted her in the early morning hours of July 14.

Martin allegedly grabbed the woman, dragging her off the road and into Woodland Park. After the assault, the victim was able to get away and call for help. She was assisted by a passerby who called 911 at 4 a.m.

She was taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, where she was treated and released, police said.

The woman told investigators she did not know the man who attacked her. But she was able to give police a description of him, which led to Martin's arrest only an hour later.

Officers were still securing the crime scene when they noticed a man who fit the suspect's description leave the Scoreboard Pub. The man, identified as Martin, was held as a person of interest.

The victim later positively identified him as the attacker, police said.

After the assault, police believe Martin went into the pub to call a taxi. He stayed there, out of sight, during the police's initial investigation.

As Martin was leaving the pub and walking to the taxi, police noticed his similarity to the newly circulated description and decided to questioned him.

Police ultimately arrested Martin about 500 feet from the scene of the incident.

Martin faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com