Teen pleads not guilty to attempted homicide

The man who allegedly shot a woman after the man he was aiming at ducked pleaded not guilty to five counts against him in an arraignment Wednesday.

Jeremiah Rupert, 19, of Kalispell faces two counts of attempted deliberate homicide, both felonies; one count of criminal possession of  dangerous drugs, a felony; criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a misdemeanor; and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, also a misdemeanor.

According to court documents, on Sept. 19, Rupert allegedly shot Lisa Wetherelt in the neck and upper arm while attempting to shoot Adam Chapman after Chapman refused to give him $100.

An argument apparently ensued between Rupert and Chapman after Rupert demanded the money and Rupert allegedly threatened to shoot, allegedly pulling a pistol on Chapman as the two sat in their respective trucks parked next to each other across from Canyon Elementary in Hungry Horse.

 Seeing the gun, Chapman apparently ducked, put the car in gear and attempted to flee, hearing a gunshot as he peeled away. As he drove from the scene, he reportedly noticed his passenger had been hit and saw the gunshot holes in the back window and windshield of his truck.

According to statements by Flathead County Sheriff Detective Pat Walsh, Chapman would have been hit had he not ducked.

At the time of the alleged shooting, Rupert apparently had a small amount of methamphetamine and a meth pipe on him, as well as a small amount of marijuana and two marijuana pipes.

Attempted deliberate homicide carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and or a $50,000 fine, misdemeanor criminal possession of dangerous drugs carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and or a $500 fine, and misdemeanor criminal possession of drug paraphernalia carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $500 fine.

Rupert’s trial is set for April 26.