Marion shootout leaves man clinging to life

One Marion man is in jail and another is in Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center after a shootout Thursday evening.

Paul West, 51, was arrested for assault with a weapon after allegedly shooting 34-year-old Jason Guymon twice with a 9-millimeter handgun, according to Flathead County Undersheriff Dave Leib.

Leib said a friend of Guymon’s was riding his horse to the man’s house when he turned down a private drive to the property. West, who lives at the entrance to the road, confronted the rider, telling him it was private property and to leave.

A motion filed by the Flathead County Attorney’s Office alleging West committed felony assault with a weapon claims the friend told police the argument was over hunting on private property.

“West followed the guy to Jason’s house in his pickup, and while he was there, they continued the confrontation,” Leib said. “Guymon came out of his house to find out what was going on, and he had a shotgun in his hand.”

The confrontation escalated, and at some point both men fired their weapons.

“One round was fired out of the shotgun, whether it was by accident or whether it was intentional,” Leib said. “Multiple rounds were fired by Paul West.”

According to family friend Judy Hutchins, West told Guymon, “I’m gonna shoot you,” to which Guymon responded, “If you shoot me, you’re gonna have to shoot me in the back,” and then turned away from West.

It was then that West opened fire, Hutchins said.

The friend Leib mentioned told police he heard the gunshots and then saw Guymon fall to the ground.

Two rounds fired by West struck Guymon — one in the back of his right shoulder, passing through, and one in his abdomen, which struck him in the side and traveled through his body and out the other side.

Guymon was initially airlifted to the Kalispell Regional Medical Center by ALERT. Leib said he was in surgery for most of the night before being airlifted to Harborview Friday morning.

“They’ve done all the surgeries that they can do at this time; his body’s really traumatized,” Hutchins said. “He needs more surgeries, but they can’t do any more right now. I think they got his artery stopped, but he’s going to lose a leg.”

It was also reported that West’s father, Gary, suffered a wound in one of his legs by a single pellet from Guyman’s shotgun, but Leib said that has not been confirmed since Gary refused medical attention.

After the shootout, West returned to his home, where deputies later took him into custody. West allegedly admitted to officers that he shot at Guymon, but claimed he was unaware as to whether or not he had hit him.

West has not yet been formally charged, but if he is convicted of felony assault with a weapon, he would face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.

On Nov. 17, 2012, West was involved in a separate incident in which his uncle, 73-year-old Paul Garcia, allegedly pistol-whipped West in the face with a .357-caliber magnum handgun during an argument over money spent on gasoline while hunting.

The blow knocked West to the ground and left visible marks on his face.

While the pair were arguing, 44-year-old Stacey Gilliam was standing outside the home, watching, also armed with her own .357 magnum. She tried but was unable to break the window to help Garcia, so she shot through the window into the floor several times, according to a court document.

Both West and Garcia were later transported to the hospital, Garcia for a back injury and West for a heart condition worsened by the altercation.

Garcia was given a deferred prosecution agreement June 20 on a felony charge of assault with a weapon. Gilliam eventually pleaded no contest to felony criminal endangerment and was sentenced Thursday — the same day as the Marion shootout — receiving a two-year deferred sentence.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.