Bigfork man accused of shooting gun in parking lot hit with felony charge
ELSA ERICKSEN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 months AGO
Donald Maurice Chideckel. (Photo courtesy the Flathead County Sheriff's Office)
An 81-year-old man is facing a felony charge in Flathead County District Court for allegedly firing a gun in the Bigfork Harvest Foods parking lot in March.
Prosecutors brought Donald Maurice Chideckel of Bigfork up on one count of criminal endangerment following the alleged March 22 shooting. Chideckel, held in the county jail with bail set at $25,000, is scheduled to appear before Judge Amy Eddy on April 2 for his arraignment.
A Harvest Foods employee reported the gunfire in the grocery store parking lot about 3 p.m. and told dispatchers they saw a man walking around with a gun, according to court documents.
Responding Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputies found Chideckel, who was armed with a Glock 17 9 mm pistol, walking near Bigfork Elementary School and detained him, court documents said. There was a live round in the chamber of the handgun and live rounds in the magazine, court documents alleged.
Chideckel told deputies he was en route to a picnic with friends when they stopped at the grocery store. Chideckel remained in the black Ford pickup truck, where he said he became claustrophobic and began to “panic like crazy,” according to court documents.
Chideckel attempted to kick out the window before drawing his pistol and firing four times into the truck window. He then kicked the window out and opened the door from the inside.
Back in the parking lot, deputies found the pickup parked directly in front of Harvest Foods. The front driver’s side window lay broken on the ground with several apparent bullet holes.
One witness told deputies he was seated along the wall outside the grocery store when Chideckel allegedly started shooting. The witness took cover behind a nearby metal newsstand box. He told deputies he heard a bullet hit the box and feared dying, according to court documents.
Deputies noted three bullet impacts on the side of Harvest Foods as well as a bullet impact on the newsstand box.
If convicted of criminal endangerment, Chideckel faces up to 10 years of imprisonment time and a $50,000 fine.
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