Bigfork man accused of vicious assault on wife

A 20-year-old Bigfork man is facing felony charges of aggravated assault and criminal endangerment after his wife reportedly ran onto Marina Cay early Sunday morning covered in blood and screaming for help.

Curtis Chapman originally was charged with attempted deliberate homicide before that charge was reduced.

According to a court document, Chapman’s wife was visibly trembling and appeared to be in shock when she contacted a Flathead County Sheriff’s deputy after a Marina Cay security guard called police.

The woman allegedly said she and Chapman had been at a wedding, during which he had been drinking. When they left, an argument began. Chapman allegedly began punching the interior of the vehicle and screaming at her while she drove, before putting his foot over hers on the gas and forcing the truck into a ditch off Montana 82.

She reportedly got out and started walking away but realized she had left her phone, so went back. At that point, Chapman allegedly “snuck up behind her, and began violently striking her in the face, neck and head and threw her back into the truck.”

Chapman is also alleged to have tried to strangle her, then chased her down the road when she escaped from him, slamming her into the ground and nearly knocking her out.

She reportedly got back into the truck because she was too scared to do anything else and Chapman drove them into Bigfork, telling her she was “going to die tonight,” traveling up to 60 miles per hour as he told her he was going to drive off a bridge on Montana 35.

The woman tried to jump from the truck while it was traveling at 60 miles per hour, and Chapman allegedly grabbed her hair and dress, trying to pull her back in. She eventually escaped and ran to the Marina Cay property.

She was transported to the Kalispell Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Chapman was found later that nigh parked at a restaurant in Bigfork. He was arrested and interviewed and allegedly admitted the altercation. He was incarcerated in the Flathead County Detention Center.

While in jail, Chapman was served warrants for both felony charges and had an initial arraignment in Flathead Justice Court, where his bond was set at $40,000. He posted a commercial bond and was released Tuesday night.

His arraignment hearing is scheduled for Sept. 6.

If convicted of both charges, he faces between two and 30 years in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.