A Columbia Falls teenager arrested after allegedly firing a handgun during a dispute with his father earned a suspended sentence in Flathead County District Court in late March.

Judge Dan Wilson handed down the suspended five-year sentence to Jeremiah Rardon, 19, for criminal endangerment on March 30. Prosecutors initially charged Rardon with assault with a weapon, but amended it after the 19-year-old agreed to a plea deal in January.

He pleaded guilty to criminal endangerment on Jan. 5.

Court documents indicate that the July 29, 2022 dispute that led to Rardon’s arrest began over a parking job in a driveway off of Brunner Road. According to court documents, Rardon rammed another vehicle — containing two occupants — during the confrontation.

When his father hollered at him to stop, Rardon allegedly got out of his vehicle, pulled out a 9 mm handgun and fired it several times before fleeing.

Rardon later pulled over and took off into a forested area, court documents said. When investigators with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office found Rardon’s green Subaru, they also located two boxes of 9 mm ammunition and a black holster, according to court documents.

Authorities reported finding a handgun about 200 feet from the vehicle, court documents said.

Rardon later turned himself in and allegedly admitted to firing the gun, but told investigators that he aimed the firearm into the air.

During the March sentencing, Rardon’s attorney, Nick Aemisegger, reiterated that point. Aemisegger asked that the presentence investigation report be edited to show that Rardon never pointed the weapon at his father. After hearing witness testimony, Wilson amended the order to indicate that Rardon fired the weapon into the air.

Along with the suspended sentence, Wilson gave Rardon credit for 11 days of time served.

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