A man accused of exposing himself to four children near the Old Steel Bridge in Evergreen this summer changed his plea on Tuesday.

Raymond Carl Tommy, 24, of Kalispell, changed his plea from not guilty to four counts of indecent exposure, to guilty but mentally ill to a felony charge of criminal endangerment.

Officers responded to the incident on Aug. 26. Witnesses advised officers that Tommy was jumping from the bridge into the water. When exiting he approached four children from about 3 to 4 feet away and exposed himself to them, according to court documents. When the children tried to look away, Tommy reportedly began “hooting and hollering” to get them to look back at him. When officers asked Tommy what happened, he allegedly stated he “wanted to apologize for indecent exposure.”

Tommy was reportedly charged in March 2015 with assault on a peace officer, but the matter was dismissed without prejudice after he was deemed “not fit to proceed.”

The district parole and probation office has requested a pre-sentence investigation regarding the criminal endangerment charge. A hearing or mitigation sentence is set for Dec. 14.

Reporter Breeana Laughlin can be reached at 758-4441 or [email protected].