Man charged after fight over dogs’ bathroom routine given deferred prosecution agreement

A Columbia Falls property owner hit with a felony charge for allegedly drawing a gun on a pet owner last year entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in May.  

Alan Dean Hawkins, 63, faced one count of felony assault with a weapon in Flathead County District Court following the Sept. 19 confrontation in a Columbia Falls alleyway. He pleaded not guilty at his Oct. 16 arraignment before Judge Danni Coffman.  

The case was continued twice in December at the behest of Hawkins' defense team and on May 8 County Attorney Travis Ahner filed a motion to dismiss the charge without prejudice as part of a deferred prosecution agreement. Judge Amy Eddy, filling in for Coffman, ordered it dismissed on May 11.  

Hawkins allegedly approached another man in an alley behind the 800 block of Fifth Street West in Columbia Falls on Sept. 19, leveled a handgun at him and shouted "bang," according to court documents. The two men knew each other and had previously quarreled about the victim's dogs using Hawkins' property as a toilet, court documents said.  

Speaking with officers, Hawkins allegedly admitted to being armed with a handgun during the confrontation. Investigators later retrieved a black handgun from Hawkins' home, court documents said. 

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 406-758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.