The California man who allegedly fired approximately 27 armor-piercing rounds from a high-capacity weapon at a Polson Police officer’s vehicle Feb. 14 is also accusing of murdering Polson resident Kimberly Goodson, 48, also on Valentine’s Day.

The suspect, Cameron Edward Francis, 49 of Gridley, Calif., was apprehended in the Elmo Post Office about 30 minutes after firing at Polson Police officer Michael Wharton and is now incarcerated in the Lake County Jail. Bail, initially set at $2 million, was bumped up to $5 million.

In an affidavit, filled Friday, Feb. 21, County Attorney James Lapotka accuses Francis of deliberate homicide and attempted deliberate homicide, both felonies with maximum sentences of life or 100 years in prison. The suspect's arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Feb. 27 in District Court in Polson.

According to the affidavit, Officer Wharton noticed a 2018 black Honda traveling north on the Hwy. 93 across the Armed Services Memorial Bridge Feb. 14. He made a traffic stop just north of Rocky Point Road at around 11:51 p.m.

As he radioed his location to dispatch, the driver of the Accord leaned out of the driver’s window and began shooting a rifle, striking the front fender, grill, radiator, windshield and passenger headrest, with bullets also penetrating the vehicle body, engine block and windshield, shattering glass on the officer, before fleeing north.

A review of the officer’s dashboard camera shows approximately 20 shots were initially fired, with seven more dispatched in a second round in what Lapotka described as a “fusillade” of gunfire. Wharton, who remarkably was not hit by the hail of bullets, later described the weapon used as “some kind of high-powered rifle.”

The officer attempted pursuit, but his vehicle overheated forcing him to pull over as area law enforcement took up the chase. About 30 minutes later, a citizen reported a man was acting strangely in the Elmo area, saying “never do dumb stuff” and “call the cops.”

Officers found the Accord and followed footprints in the snow to the Elmo Post Office where the suspect was lying face down. According to the affidavit, the suspect told officers, “I give up.” He also told them he had been staying with his girlfriend in Polson, that the car was registered to her, and said, “you’ll figure it out from there.”

Officers obtained a search warrant for the Accord and located a 5.56 NATO military-replica rifle with a 60-round barrel drum magazine, a red-dot sight, and no serial number. The vehicle also contained a large plastic tub with hundreds of rounds of green-tipped bullets, commonly referred to as “armor-piercing ammunition.” The side of the car was scorched with gunshot residue.

The car was registered to Kimberly Goodson, and after the arrest made local news, Goodson’s son, Aaron Pendergraft, contacted law enforcement Feb. 16 and expressed concern about his mother’s welfare. He told police she was in an abusive relationship with Francis, and he hadn’t heard from her since Valentine’s Day.

When officers conducted a welfare check, they found her deceased in the bathroom. After obtaining a warrant, officers observed signs of struggle, large amounts of ammunition, and a single spent 5.56 casing several feet from her body. The medical examiner determined that Goodson died from a single gunshot wound to her face.

Camera footage from near her home on Fourth Ave. showed a black Accord driving away just minutes before Officer Wharton’s traffic stop.

In requesting a bond of $5 million, Lapotka notes that the suspect has prior felony drug, assault, firearm and theft convictions with the federal government and State of California dating back to 1996, and “a history of fleeing and eluding law enforcement and placing the public in harm’s way, a history of violent crime, crimes with weapons and a history of noncompliance with weapons restrictions.”

“My condolences go out to the friends and family of Ms. Goodson,” Lapotka said. “I’m deeply thankful that Officer Wharton is OK, and I appreciate the professionalism and cooperation that is always demonstrated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Polson Police Department and all our law enforcement partners.”