A Polson woman is accused of assaulting her children.

Katherine Nicole Harner, 36, entered a plea of not guilty in Polson District Court on Oct. 22 to felony charges of strangulation of a partner or family member and criminal endangerment. She also faces misdemeanor charges of partner or family member assault and unlawful restraint.

According to court records, on Sept. 20, Polson Police took a report from a person who claimed to have seen a woman, later identified as Harner, in a vehicle hitting a minor. This happened as the vehicle drove by the food trucks near 7th Ave. W. and 1st St. W.

The reporting party said she witnessed Harner pull the minor’s head down and then punch her in the head.

Police made contact with the alleged victim, who stated that her mother was drinking, and that she saw her mother hit another sibling. She also stated that her mother was driving at a high rate of speed on Skyline Drive while she told her children she was not going to let off on the gas “until everyone is dead.”

The minor stated that she saw the speedometer, and it was registering speeds of 85 to 90 MPH. The charging documents indicate that four other siblings were in the vehicle at the time.

Police spoke to another sibling, who was in St. Joseph Hospital at the time, who stated her mom pulled her hair and tied a dog leash around her wrists tight enough to cause pain. The sibling then alleged that her mother tethered the leash to her wrists and dragged her into the bathroom, grabbing her by the neck and causing her to hit her head. She also alleged that her mother dragged her to her bedroom, prevented her from leaving and continued to berate her.

The court documents state that Harner had a blood alcohol content of .091 when she was arrested.

Judge John A. Mercer set the case for trial on Feb. 8. Harner remains at liberty.