Suspect in summertime attack given deferred sentence

A Kalispell man charged for attacking his then-estranged spouse, her boyfriend and child over the summer received a deferred four-year sentence in Flathead County District Court on Monday.

The Feb. 28 sentencing came after Jerrad Raymond Merrill, 30, pleaded guilty to felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor partner or family member assault in December. Originally charged with aggravated assault, assault on a minor and the aforementioned misdemeanor, Merrill struck a deal with prosecutors Dec. 5.

Along with the deferred sentence, Judge Robert Allison handed down a suspended one-year sentence in the Flathead County Detention Center for the misdemeanor partner or family member assault charge. The two sentences will run concurrently and Merrill received credit for four days of time served.

He must also enroll in anger management classes within 30 days.

Kalispell Police officers found and arrested Merrill after responding to a reported disturbance on Nevada Street about 7:13 p.m., June 23, according to court documents. Merrill allegedly arrived uninvited to a backyard cookout and attacked his then-estranged wife’s boyfriend, punching and kicking him in the face. The boyfriend was left with serious bodily injuries, court documents said.

During the fight, Merrill struck and bruised his then-estranged wife after she tried to intervene, court documents said. He also allegedly threw her daughter to the ground when she, too, tried to stop the fighting.

When officers later found Merrill driving down Main Street, he allegedly admitted to the attack and told authorities he “took care of it like a man” when he found out his wife had a new romantic relationship.

One of the victims in the case, Alana Merrill — Jerrad Merrill’s formerly estranged wife — testified in court Monday. Prior to the sentencing, Alana Merrill told the Daily Inter Lake that she had since reconciled with Jerrad Merrill. Without condoning his behavior, she said she understood it, accusing her boyfriend at the time of taunting Jerrad Merrill unbeknownst to her.

“If they kept poking and poking I would show up, too,” she said. “I know it’s not the right thing, but you can only take so much.”

Alana Merrill said it was the only time she suffered physical violence at Jerrad Merrill’s hands.

Alana Merrill said previous coverage of the case had damaged her husband’s reputation in the community. The two wanted to move on from the incident, she said.

“I’m just trying to redo this with Jarred and rebuild our family and be happy with one another,” she said. “Nobody is perfect.”