Driver who allegedly pulled shotgun after road rage incident pleads not guilty
Robert Allen Ellis sits at the defendant's table during his Sept. 20 arraignment in Flathead County District Court on a single count of assault with a weapon. (Derrick Perkins/Daily Inter Lake)
The Kalispell man accused of pulling a shotgun on another motorist during a bout of road rage on Sept. 5 pleaded not guilty to felony assault with a weapon last week.
Robert Allen Ellis made his initial appearance in Flathead County District Court before Judge Amy Eddy on Sept. 20. After the 65-year-old entered his plea Eddy set an omnibus hearing for Sept. 28 and scheduled a pretrial conference for Oct. 19.
Ellis, who appeared at his arraignment in an orange uniform, is being held at the county jail with bail set at $50,000. A bail modification hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29.
Authorities arrested the 65-year-old after a motorist contacted authorities on Sept. 5, claiming that another man had pulled a shotgun on him in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant in Kalispell earlier that day. The motorist told deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office that the shotgun incident followed an earlier encounter on Helena Flats Road, according to court documents.
After flipping him off, the other driver followed the victim to the fast food joint. He then got out of his vehicle, allegedly grabbed a shotgun and leveled it at the victim, telling him to “go back to where he came from,” court documents said.
Afterward, the man got into his truck and left, according to the victim.
A witness, who contacted authorities about the same time as the victim, offered similar details of the incident at the fast food restaurant. The witness also provided a description of the shotgun-toting man’s vehicle and a license plate number, court documents said.
Deputies identified Ellis as a suspect after linking him to the license plate number. Responding to Ellis’ Kalispell home, they found a vehicle matching the witness’ description and spotted a shotgun inside, according to court documents.
Deputies arrested Ellis as he exited his home. He allegedly recounted the traffic disagreement, saying that the victim had nearly run him off the road. As for the firearm, he told deputies he grabbed the shotgun out of concern the other driver was going to “get tough,” court documents said.
If convicted, Ellis faces up to two decades in Montana State Prison and a fine of $50,000.
News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.