Woman pleads not guilty to charges stemming from alleged accidental shooting
Stephanie Lea Roszko. (Photo courtesy the Flathead County Sheriff's Office)
A woman arrested for drunkenly shooting a man in the leg in Columbia Falls late last year has pleaded not guilty to a felony criminal endangerment charge.
Stephanie Lea Roszko, 45, appeared before Judge Danni Coffman in Flathead County District Court for her Feb. 1 arraignment. She was subsequently booked into the county jail and released that same day on her own recognizance.
Prosecutors alleged in charging documents that Roszko admitted to the Dec. 13 shooting when authorities caught up to her. Columbia Falls Police officers had earlier found the victim suffering a gunshot wound to his leg inside his Crescent Drive home and recovered a black pistol, court documents said.
Under questioning, Roszko allegedly told investigators that the gun went off while she was playing with it. She thought the weapon was unloaded, according to court documents.
Officers noted that Roszko appeared drunk during the conversation, court documents said. They requested a breath sample, which came back positive for alcohol, according to court documents.
The victim received treatment for his wounds at Logan Health Medical Center.
An omnibus hearing in the case is scheduled for March 15 with a pretrial conference to follow on April 3.
If convicted, Roszko faces up to 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.