A woman facing a felony charge in Flathead County District Court for allegedly shooting at the father of her child in an Olney campground last autumn told authorities she fired the gun after he struck her.

Prosecutors filed a single count of assault with a weapon against Chelsie Marie Morrison, 33, of Eureka on Jan. 24 for her alleged role in the Oct. 3, 2022 confrontation. Booked into the county jail Feb. 12 with bail initially set at $30,000, Morrison was released on her own recognizance Feb. 13.

The charge stems from an exchange of the former couple’s child that went awry, according to court documents. Deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the dispute after responding to a report of a fight at the Dog Creek Campground near U.S. 93.

According to court documents, the victim told deputies that he met Morrison at the campground for a child exchange, but suspected she was under the influence of drugs.

The two got into a tugging match over the child’s car seat with Morrison ultimately placing it into her vehicle, court documents said. Afterward, she allegedly grabbed him by his shirt and threw a punch. He allegedly told deputies he pushed her. He recalled retreating to his vehicle after she fell to the ground, court documents said.

As he drove off, the victim allegedly heard two or three loud bangs that he told investigators he believed to be the sound of gunshots, according to court documents.

The victim later showed authorities what looked like a bullet hole in a rear quarter panel of his vehicle, court documents said.

Interviewed by deputies in a home in Eureka, Morrison also recalled getting into a tug of war over the car seat during the exchange, court documents said. But she told authorities that he hit her in the face and shoved her to the ground after she gained control of the car seat, according to court documents.

She told them she then went for her pistol, stored in the vehicle, and fired into the ground as he drove away, court documents said.

Morrison is expected to appear in court for her arraignment before Judge Danni Coffman on Feb. 23.

Assault with a weapon is punishable by up to 20 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine.

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