Prosecutors have charged a Kalispell man with assault with a weapon after he allegedly threatened his wife and children with a gun on July 31.

Aaron Dean Archer, 46, is being held in the county jail on a $150,000 bond. Authorities took him into custody after his wife spirited the couple’s children away and contacted Kalispell Police during a lull in the weekend confrontation, according to court documents.

Over the phone, Archer’s wife told officers the threats stemmed from the pair’s imminent separation over his alleged substance abuse. During the argument, he threatened to kill her and their children before killing himself, court documents said.

After allegedly fetching a gun from a safe in the bedroom, Archer reemerged and returned to arguing with his wife, this time pointing that gun at her. She initially told authorities she fled from the gun, but later offered a slightly different account, saying she left after he pulled the magazine and removed a bullet from the chamber, according to court documents.

Officers arranged to speak with Archer, but he took a phone call from his attorney shortly after allowing police into his home. In the meantime, the officers spoke with Archer’s mother, who also described him as an alcoholic.

According to court documents, she was detailing Archer’s abusive behavior when he returned and informed her that his attorney “said shut up."

But Archer agreed to continue speaking with investigators with his attorney on the line. During that conversation, he acknowledged suicidal ideation, court documents said. When asked about the confrontation involving a firearm, Archer allegedly expressed remorse.

Assault with a weapon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars and a $50,000 fine.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].