SANDPOINT — The state is using a Priest Lake man’s flight from prosecution against him when he stands trial on rape and lewd conduct charges.

Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Valerie Fenton put the defense on notice in William Scott Wegner’s case that she intends to introduce evidence to jurors that Wegner fled Bonner County while awaiting trial and was arrested while on the lam in Arizona, according to court documents.

Idaho’s rules of evidence allow for the admission of character evidence of prior bad acts or wrongs. Fenton argues Wegner’s flight may be admissible because it could indicate consciousness of guilt.

Fenton is bolstering her argument with a 2005 lewd conduct case in which a Latah County man’s flight to avoid prosecution was found to be relevant and not unfairly prejudicial. In that case, Donald Rossignol Jr. was ultimately convicted of three counts of lewd conduct and one count of sexual abuse of a child.

Rossignol argued on appeal that evidence of flight is irrelevant and does not demonstrate consciousness of guilt. He further argued the probative value of the evidence was substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice.

The Idaho Court of Appeals was not persuaded by Rossignol’s arguments, however.

A grand jury indicted Wegner last year and was set to stand trial in 1st District Court last October. Wegner failed to show for the proceedings and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Wegner, 41, was arrested in St. Johns, Ariz., in March, after Sheenagh Elizabeth Adams allegedly confessed that she had been in regular phone contact with him, according to court documents.

Adams was awaiting sentencing on a felony child injury charge related to Wegner’s misconduct. She now stands accused of harboring a fugitive and compounding a crime to hinder prosecution by providing Wegner money while he was on the run, according to court records.

Adams, 36, is scheduled to be sentenced on the child injury charge on May 19. A preliminary hearing on the new charges is set for April 22.

Wegner is being held at the Bonner County Jail while a new trial date is pending.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.