A Flathead Valley man with a violent criminal past pleaded not guilty to assault with a weapon Tuesday morning in Flathead County District Court.

Michael Anthony Mejak, 45, appeared telephonically to enter his plea. Due to a Flathead County Detention Center inmate testing positive for COVID-19 last week, court staff decided to hold hearings by video.

District Judge Amy Eddy, a court clerk and one other official who sat in the jury box were the only people in the courtroom.

Mejak appeared in a room in the jail portion of the courthouse with a detention officer. Eddy said he was brought in restraints due to his conduct in Justice Court.

Attorneys for the prosecution and defense also appeared on video.

Mejak was booked into the jail Oct. 6. His bail was set at $150,000. Mejak has a pretrial hearing set for Jan. 22.

In his current case, Mejak is accused of threatening an ex-girlfriend with a knife while she walked in Woodland Park at about 4:47 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5.

According to charging documents, when a deputy from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene, the victim told the officer she was walking when Mejak appeared and began yelling at her. She said he threatened to kill her and called her names.

She said Mejak was holding something in his hand before he walked away; then a person came out of a store and yelled at Mejak that law enforcement had been called.

Another witness backed up the victim’s account, alleging he saw Mejak holding a knife. When officers found Mejak, he allegedly had a knife which matched the witness description. He also allegedly used profanities toward officers and the victim when they drove past her.

Charging documents indicated Mejak was on probation and has had several prior felony convictions, including partner family member assault and criminal endangerment.

A 2014 story in the Missoulian reported Mejak was arrested for theft and methamphetamine possession.

In 2008, Mejak pleaded guilty by Alford to criminal endangerment. He received a 10-year sentence with eight suspended. In that case Mejak head-butted a man resulting in a severe cut over one eye and his nose being broken. Mejak also brandished a knife during the assault.

Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or at sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.