Suspect in June shooting back in custody
Jeffrey Allen Smith. (Photo courtesy the Flathead County Sheriff's Office)
The Whitefish man accused of firing upon kayakers while they paddled Lower Stillwater Lake in June is back in custody.
Judge Amy Eddy issued a $25,000 bench warrant for Jeffrey Allen Smith, 49, after he failed to appear in Flathead County District Court for his Jan. 19 arraignment. Smith faces four counts of felony criminal endangerment in connection with the alleged shooting.
Smith was booked back into the Flathead County Detention Center on Jan. 30. He is being held on $25,000 bail with his arraignment rescheduled for Feb. 9.
The 49-year-old came to the attention of authorities after Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call on June 18, according to court documents. Approaching a boat launch in the Lower Stillwater Lake area, deputies reported hearing gunshots.
After detaining Smith, investigators spotted firearms and ammunition inside his parked minivan, court documents said. They also found shotgun casing on the ground around the vehicle, according to court documents.
Prosecutors initially brought Smith up on multiple counts of assault with a weapon, but filed amended charges late last year.
Criminal endangerment carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine.
News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.