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Woman accused of pulling a box cutter on park patron pleads not guilty

DERRICK PERKINS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 1 month AGO
by DERRICK PERKINS
NEWS EDITOR Derrick Perkins serves as News Editor at the Daily Inter Lake. He oversees daily news coverage and works closely with reporters to plan, edit and publish stories across print and digital platforms. Perkins helps coordinate coverage of local government, public safety, business and community developments throughout Northwest Montana. He works with the reporting staff to strengthen journalism while maintaining consistent daily coverage. His role helps ensure the newsroom delivers timely, accurate reporting that readers rely on. IMPACT: Derrick’s work keeps readers informed about the decisions and events shaping their communities every day. | September 8, 2023 12:00 AM

A 49-year-old woman pleaded not guilty Thursday to a felony charge after Kalispell Police officers arrested her over the weekend for allegedly waving a box cutter at a woman who refused her a cigarette.

April Dawn Werner, who has no address listed with the court, appeared before Judge Danni Coffman in Flathead County District Court on Sept. 7 and was arraigned on a single count of assault with a weapon. She is being held in the county jail with bail set at $20,000.

Officers began searching for Werner about 4:44 p.m., Sept. 3 after responding to a report of a disturbance involving a weapon at Woodland Park, court documents said. The victim told officers that she and her family were seated near the playground when a woman, identified as Werner, approached and sat down at a nearby chair.

Werner allegedly asked the victim for a cigarette. The victim said she didn’t have any and asked that Werner relocate, according to court documents.

Instead, Werner pulled out a box cutter, extended a portion of the blade and began waving it around, court documents said. Feeling threatened, the victim phoned authorities.

Officers eventually tracked Werner down at a nearby bar, court documents said. During a search of Werner, they allegedly found a box cutter in her pocket.

If convicted of assault with a weapon, Werner faces 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].

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