EPHRATA — Jury selection started Monday for a man charged with shooting a Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy in the back.

The trial is slated to start today.

Robbie Joe Marcher, 40, Moses Lake, is charged in Grant County Superior Court with assault in the first degree, unlawful hunting of big game in the second degree and failing to summon assistance.

Marcher allegedly shot Deputy Earl Romig in the back with a .30-06 hunting rifle, while the deputy was hunting coyotes in January 2008. The bullet tore through Romig’s back and exited his stomach, causing internal injuries. Romig was off-duty when he was shot.

Romig told the Columbia Basin Herald, he saw Marcher get out of his truck while he was coyote hunting in an orchard near Soap Lake. Marcher allegedly pointed the rifle at the deputy.

When Romig saw this, he turned to his right and headed into the trees. After calling coyotes for about a half an hour, the deputy started to head for home. He walked about 40 to 60 yards and then heard a buzzing sound and was hit by a bullet, Romig said.

Marcher allegedly saw the deputy and walked away, while Romig was on the ground screaming.

After five minutes, the deputy fired three shots as a distress signal. An Ephrata man in the area heard the shots and called 9-1-1 after finding Romig.

Marcher told investigators he thought he shot at a coyote and didn’t return to see what he hit, according to court documents. He reportedly mentioned he realized he might have shot a person after hearing from his wife about a person being shot in the area he was hunting.

He allegedly failed to contact authorities about the situation, according to court documents.