Cases continued for pair accused of C-Falls attack

Two Columbia Falls residents accused of beating a man and threatening him with a gun in April saw their cases in Flathead County District Court continued last week.

Buffie Nadine Daniels and Egan Kodama, appearing separately on assault with a weapon charges, both sought continuances from Judge Dan Wilson at their July 27 pretrial conferences. Authorities arrested the pair after coming across a bloodied man while responding to an April 5 disturbance call on Martha Road.

The man, suffering a head wound, told officers with the Columbia Falls Police Department that he was attacked by a baton-wielding man and a woman, who later drew a gun on him, according to court documents. A neighbor pointed investigators to a nearby home, telling them that a pair armed with a gun and what looked like a metal pipe had entered the building.

Inside the home, officers found Daniels and Kodama as well as a black handgun and bent metal baton, according to court documents.

Daniels allegedly admitted attacking a man with Kodama’s help during a subsequent interview with investigators, court documents said. Still, both pleaded not guilty to the charges in district court.

Last week, defense attorney Timothy Wenz, who represents Daniels, asked for continuance to wait on new DNA analysis. New information may have come to light, he told the court.

Kodama, by contrast, sought a continuance after his previous attorney withdrew from the case. Daniel Wood of the Public Defender’s Office said his agency had since joined on, but needed to find an outside attorney owing to a conflict.

Both were scheduled to reappear in district court for a pretrial conference on Jan. 4 with the cases potentially going to trial after Feb. 13. Both waived their right to a speedy trial in the process.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.