Rifle-toting customer guilty of endangerment

A Kalispell man who aimed a rifle at a store clerk has pleaded guilty to felony criminal endangerment.

Richard Boggess, 47, entered the plea Dec. 19 in Flathead District Court.

Boggess initially was charged with felony assault with a weapon after pointing a rifle at a clerk at Kelly Rae’s on Batavia Lane.

The clerk told police Boggess came into the store and got into a dispute about paying for gas, at which point Boggess was told to leave. Boggess then went to his truck, grabbed a rifle and pointed it at the clerk through the window, saying he would kill him.

After putting the rifle back in his vehicle, Boggess tried to come back inside, but the clerk held the door shut, so Boggess left.

Several witnesses corroborated the clerk’s story.

During the Dec. 19 hearing, Boggess pleaded guilty to an amended charge of felony criminal endangerment.

That carries a maximum possible penalty of 10 years in the Montana State Prison and a fine of up to $50,000, as opposed to the original assault-with-a-weapon charge that had a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

The more serious charge was reduced and a separate felony theft charge against Boggess was dismissed.

A court document in that case alleged Boggess had stolen a van from Murphy’s Carpet Cleaning.

The van and the equipment it contained were worth $15,000.

Boggess is currently incarcerated in the Flathead County Detention Center.

A sentencing hearing has been set for Feb. 13.