Man hospitalized after drunken brawl

During an already busy beginning to the Memorial Day weekend, law enforcement responded to a West Glacier home after a passerby reported hearing two shots fired inside Saturday afternoon.

Four deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and one trooper with the Montana Highway Patrol responded to the 825 Belton Stage Road home after the initial call came in at about 4:30 p.m. After setting up a perimeter, they were able to apprehend two men and a woman.

According to Sgt. Kevin Burns with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, all three were extremely drunk and one man had a knife wound to his throat. It was eventually determined that the wound was self-inflicted.

Burns said they had not yet found any evidence that any shots were fired.

“That appears to be unfounded right now,” he said. “It’s unclear whether or not that happened at this point in the investigation.”

He said it did appear that there was a fight between the two men, but that they are still interviewing people and have not completed their investigation.

The injured man was transported to North Valley Hospital for treatment and a mental health evaluation. He was discharged shortly after 8:30 p.m. The other two were released at the scene.

“There may be charges filed,” Burns said. “We’ll determine that when we get it all sorted out.”

Along with the sheriff’s office and the highway patrol, the Coram-West Glacier fire department also responded.