Eureka man facing more than 25 years

Eric Paul Evans, a 44-year-old Eureka man, was arrested Feb. 9, 2016, and charged with felony counts of partner family member assault - third or subsequent offense  and assault with a weapon. He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest. If convicted of the charges, he could be sentenced to 25 years and six months behind bars and fined up to $100,500.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Salyer arrested Evans after responding to a report of a possible assault in progress at a residence on Hillside Lane in Eureka. According to Salyer’s narrative in the affidavit of probable cause, a woman called dispatch and reported being assaulted by her boyfriend.

“Dispatch advised me the female reporting party said her boyfriend had been verbally and physically abusive and stated he just beat her over the head and threatened to break her [expletive deleted] neck,” Salyer wrote.

According to his report Salyer, along with Eureka Police Officer Clint Heintz, responded to the scene. The female victim, who had been hiding until the officers arrived, met them outside the residence.

“[Victim] had been hiding outside in the dark until we got to the residence,” Salyer wrote. “[Victim] stated the following to myself and Officer Heintz. Eric Paul Evans had gotten upset with her earlier for being on the computer and said he needed to get a hold of his employer (not employed). Evans then took [victim’s] fingers on her hand and bent them backwards to the point she thought he was trying to break her hand. An argument ensued and Evans pulled a knife and told [victim] that he was going to kill her.”

The victim, according to the report, then told officers the couple started fighting and the knife slid across the room. At one point in the scuffle the victim claimed Evans was on top of her, hitting her in the back of the head. The victim said Evans had been drinking vodka and was “heavily intoxicated.”

According to the affidavit, Evans denied any physical altercation between the two, but Salyer noted a cut on the victim’s hand and a scratch on her nose, as well as what appeared to be a bleeding bite mark on her hand. Evans reportedly had several fresh scratches on his face, which “looked possibly to be defensive wounds,” according to Salyer.

Salyer then consulted the victim, who said she was hesitant to press charges, but wanted Evans gone for the night. Salyer said he gave Evans the choice to either spend the night in a local motel or be transported to jail in Libby for assault.

“At this time Evans got very upset and started yelling at me telling me he isn’t leaving his house and for me to leave,” Salyer wrote. “I again gave him the two options and told him to choose wisely. Again he told me he wasn’t leaving and yelled at me to get out of his house.”

Salyer said he and Officer Heintz then took Evans into custody, encountering “slight” resistance.

“At this time myself and Officer Heintz took Evans into custody with some slight resistance,” Salyer wrote. “While walking him out of the house Evans kept trying to put his feet up onto whatever was around to hinder us from taking him. Once at my patrol car Evans resisted getting into the back by pushing both of his feet on my door jambs. Then while trying to place him in face first he would just collapse his legs and go to the ground. We then had to take Evans to the ground and I placed him in ankle cuffs in a hog tie position so he could no longer kick. I then called for two border patrol agents to come assist in lifting Evans into the back of my patrol car where we were finally able to get him in a seated upright position for the ride down to the detention facility in Libby.”

The third or subsequent partner family member assault charge carries a sentence of up to five years, as well as a possible fine of $50,000. The assault with a weapon charge is also punishable by a fine of up to $50,000, but the potential prison sentence is up to 20 years. The resisting arrest charge is a misdemeanor and punishable by up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.

Evans is being held in the Lincoln County jail with bail set at $50,000.