The arraignment hearing for a California man, facing murder and attempted murder charges, was continued to March 6 to give the Montana Public Defender’s Office time to appoint legal counsel.

Cameron Francis, 49, made an initial appearance Feb. 27 in District Court in Polson. He is charged with deliberate homicide and attempted deliberate homicide.

The charges stem from an incident late the night of Feb. 14, when Francis allegedly fired at least 20 rounds from an assault rifle at a patrol car driven by Polson Police officer Michael Wharton after a traffic stop north of Polson. The rounds showered the officer with broken glass, before the suspect fled north on U.S. Highway 93. Francis was apprehended within an hour in the Elmo area.

Meanwhile, a request for a welfare check on Francis’s girlfriend the following Sunday, Feb. 16, led police to her dead body.

Lake County Attorney, James Lapokta, explained in charging documents that Kimberly Goodson, 48, died from a single gunshot to the face. Shell casings at both scenes matched an assault rifle found in the Honda Accord that Francis was driving when he shot at the officer on Feb. 14. The vehicle was registered to Goodson.

Judge John A. Mercer is presiding over the case. Francis remains in the Lake County Jail with bail set at $5,000,000.