A Marion man admitted on Wednesday that he attacked his mother with bear spray on March 4.

Joshua James Gomez, 30, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of partner family member assault as part of a plea agreement where one felony count of assault with a weapon was dropped.

Gomez was charged after Flathead County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report that someone had been sprayed at a home on Marion Pines Drive.

According to court documents, Gomez’s mother told deputies that her son had sprayed her in the face with pepper spray and caused her to temporarily go blind.

Gomez was sentenced by Flathead District Judge Robert Allison to six months in the Flathead County Detention Center, with all but four days suspended. He received credit for four days served. He was fined $100 and the court imposed an additional $75 surcharge.

Gomez will have to complete 40 hours of anger management.

“That’s the hardest part of this sentence,” Allison said. “It’s really important you follow through with that.”

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or [email protected].