Woman dies after shooting at Saloon in Martin City
CHRIS PETERSON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 6 months AGO
Chris Peterson is the editor of the Hungry Horse News. He covers Columbia Falls, the Canyon, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. All told, about 4 million acres of the best parts of the planet. He can be reached at [email protected] or 406-892-2151. | August 31, 2022 1:00 AM
A dispute over a golf cart led to a shooting at a bar in Martin City on Saturday that left one woman dead and her husband seriously injured, charging documents filed Monday reveal.
The suspected shooter, Del Orrion Crawford, 40, of Kila, is facing felony charges of deliberate homicide, attempted deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence. He is lodged in the Flathead County Detention Center.
According to court documents, witnesses allege that Crawford shot Hungry Horse resident Whisper Sellars, 28, in the chest and her husband Doug Crosswhite in the chest and arm following a confrontation in front of the South Fork Saloon on Aug. 27 at about 1 a.m.
When Flathead Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, they found Crosswhite on the road in front of the bar with a tourniquet around his arm and a covering on his chest. Sellars was on the ground while bystanders administered CPR.
Sellars died on the scene and Crosswhite was transported to Logan Health Medical Center.
Witnesses told deputies that the incident began after Crawford allegedly confronted Sellars and another person while they sat in a golf cart taking pictures.
According to witnesses who spoke with the Hungry Horse News, the argument was over the keys to the cart, which Crawford had driven to the saloon from a nearby party. Crawford thought someone had taken them, they said.
Court documents state that Crawford pushed Sellars and another female, and Crosswhite pushed Crawford in response. Crawford then fell backward, got up, pulled a handgun from his waistband and allegedly started shooting, witnesses said.
Crawford allegedly fled the scene, but was located nearby on South Fork Road by deputies. He told deputies he shot in self-defense.
Documents state that Crawford refused to tell deputies where his firearm was located, but stated it was in a safe place and that officers wouldn’t find it.
The maximum penalty for deliberate homicide is 100 years in prison.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up to assist with medical expenses for Doug Crosswhite, as he needs extensive surgery on his wounded arm, according to family members.
Sellars and Crosswhite had five children and were well-known in the community.
The GoFundMe link is at https://www.gofundme.com/f/crosswhite-family-support?qid=70bf0fc54602c0f557bdd2e115d4cc21
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