Husband brought up on felony charge after allegedly assaulting and strangling his wife

A Kalispell man accused of assaulting his wife and threatening her with a knife earlier this month is facing a felony aggravated assault charge in Flathead County District Court.  

Malakai Steven Long, 20, pleaded not guilty before Judge Paul Sullivan at his March 13 arraignment. Sullivan set an omnibus hearing in the case for Aug. 20 with a pretrial conference to follow on Sept. 17.  

Deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff's Office arrested Long on March 4, but his wife said the events that led up to the alleged attack began two days earlier. During an argument in their Farm to Market Road home on March 2, Long grew verbally abusive and repeatedly threatened to kill his wife and her family, according to charging documents.  

Long allegedly said she could never leave him and, on the following day, held her by the legs to keep her from leaving the house. March 4 began with Long yelling at his wife, telling her he wanted a divorce, court documents said. When he threatened to call her parents, she grew angry and allegedly slapped him on the back of the neck. Long allegedly pushed her down in return and began punching her in the arm and ribs. Then he choked her for about 45 seconds, court documents alleged.  

Releasing his grip, Long allegedly grabbed a knife from his bedside drawer and held it to his wife's neck. Then he turned the knife on himself, cutting his wrist before fleeing on foot, according to court documents.  

Arriving deputies secured a curved blade folding knife found in the home and noted that the house was in disarray, court documents said. They also reported seeing bruising on the victim's neck, arm and wrists. 

After deputies took him into custody, Long admitted to assaulting his wife, according to court documents.  

"I didn't want to [expletive] hurt my wife, man," he allegedly said. "She hit me and I [expletive] hit her and then I choked her, and I wasn't thinking while I was doing it." 

Long admitted a second time to strangling his wife while undergoing questioning by authorities on March 6, court documents said. He told investigators that he was trying to scare her, according to court documents. Long also allegedly admitted to holding a knife to his wrist and threatening to kill both himself and his wife. 

If convicted, Long faces up to 20 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine. Because he allegedly used a dangerous weapon, he could receive an additional two to 10 years behind bars. 

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