Monday, December 15, 2025
51.0°F

Man admits firing gun during argument

Megan Strickland | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 8 months AGO
by Megan Strickland
| March 20, 2016 10:00 PM

A Bigfork man admitted Thursday to drunkenly firing a gun toward his wife was in on Oct. 28, 2015.

Timothy Mark Snyder, 55, entered an Alford plea to one felony count of criminal endangerment before Flathead District Ortley Judge David Ortley. An Alford plea does not admit explicit guilt, but does acknowledge that a defendant is likely to be found guilty.

Snyder told Ortley that he was upset the day of the incident because he felt that he was going to have to put a dog down that was in failing health. He had asked his wife to leave the property, but she would not, he testified.

She ended up in an outbuilding. He tried to shoot through a door knob in the corner of the building.

“I understand that I was extremely intoxicated and I fired a firearm,” Snyder said. “Under no circumstances was I trying to hurt anyone or harm anyone. My problem is the alcohol.”

Snyder is set to be sentenced on May 19.


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

ARTICLES BY MEGAN STRICKLAND

July 13, 2016 12:47 p.m.

Convicted murderer asks for new trial

A Ronan man serving life without parole for killing raping and killing his cousin at Wild Horse Hot Springs in May 2013 has asked the Montana Supreme Court for new trial and for $35,000 in public defender’s fees to be reconsidered.

Commission studying proposed Bison Range agreement
July 20, 2016 11 a.m.

Commission studying proposed Bison Range agreement

By MEGAN STRICKLAND

July 13, 2016 12:50 p.m.

High court denies rapists appeal

The Montana Supreme Court has denied the appeal of a Polson man whose public defender found that he had no basis for appealing a 2014 conviction for sexually assaulting an ex-girlfriend.