Kalispell man gets five-year sentence

A Kalispell man has been given a five-year suspended sentence after assaulting a woman in the Canyon.

Nathan Sherman, 23, was sentenced Thursday in Flathead District Court after having previously pleaded guilty to felony partner or family member assault.

In exchange for that plea, a second count of felony criminal endangerment was dismissed.

On Oct. 2, 2013, Sherman assaulted his girlfriend after they had both been drinking and gotten into an argument. He pinned her to a wall and punched her repeatedly and head-butted her in the face when she told him she was going to call for help.

Sherman’s 5-year-old daughter was present during the fight, and he took her with him when he left.

Another woman was present in the home at the time of the assault and witnessed the altercation.

A court document indicates Sherman already had two prior convictions for partner or family member assault.

In addition to the suspended sentence, District Judge David Ortley ordered Sherman to pay a $500 fine and a $400 public defender fee, to undergo chemical-dependency and mental-health evaluations, to complete a minimum of 40 hours of domestic abuse counseling and to take parenting classes.