A Libby man recently pleaded guilty in Lincoln County District Court to assaulting his wife during a drunken incident last summer.

Daniel Stephen Baca, 36, admitted his guilt Jan. 5 to an amended felony charge of criminal endangerment. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 23.

A plea deal calls for a 3-year deferred term. 

According to charging documents, the incident occurred between Aug. 17 and Aug. 18. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputies Christopher Pape and Joshua Brabo responded shortly after midnight Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, to a mobile home park off Montana Highway 37 on the bank of the Kootenai River north of Libby.

In Brabo’s written report, he said he recognized the address belonging to the victim and Baca and knew they were in a romantic relationship. He also reported he knew Baca from prior law enforcement encounters and that the defendant was a U.S. Marine Corp veteran and heavy drinker.

When the officers arrived, they could hear shouting inside the camper. The officers ordered Baca to come out and when he did several small dogs ran from the camper. Brabo said Baca initially resisted their efforts to restrain him before physical force was used.

Baca, who appeared to be very drunk, apologized for resisting. Brabo said he was able to calm Baca due to the fact both are Marine Corp vets.

According to Brabo, when they spoke about the incident, Baca said he kept calling the damn thing, referring to his wife, to (profanity) please come get him in town. When she didn’t, Baca said he had some teenagers give him a ride. The accused man said he was not physically violent toward her.

Pape’s report also included the victim’s account of the incident.

The victim told deputy Pape that Baca threw a phone at her during their argument, leaving a knot on her head. She also said Baca broke a refrigerator shelf that was on the floor in camper’s kitchen. 

She said she was asleep when Baca came home and began fighting with her. She said he had been, “doing this stuff for two days straight” and she was tired of him putting his hands on her.

The victim also said they had been through a lot recently, including getting kicked out of the mobile home park because of his drinking. She said she told Baca to go to his boat until he became sober. She also said when he got into bed with her, he called a series of profane, derogatory names, including, “you (profanity) fat cow.”

Pape also reported that Baca told him he had just got off probation for partner family member assault. He also said the defendant had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath, his speech was slurred and his eyes were glassy and bloodshot.

Online court records from Williams County, North Dakota indicate Baca was charged with the simple assault of a peace officer, preventing arrest and menacing, domestic violence-bodily injury in two separate incidents in 2022.

Court records indicate Baca pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of preventing arrest in one case as well as a guilty plea to domestic violence-bodily injury in the other.

Baca also faced charges in Sheridan County in 2021 for partner or family member assault.

Baca was charged twice in Sheridan County in 2019, including a felony case for partner or family member assault, causing bodily injury. He was also charged with destroying or tampering with a communication device in an attempt to interfere with a criminal offense report. He received a deferred sentence on the felony and the misdemeanor case was dismissed.

Also in Sheridan County, two women sought temporary orders of protection against Baca, one each in 2016 and 2017.