Libby man facing 18 months in jail

A Libby man originally wanted on a misdemeanor warrant is now facing triple the original amount of jail time after allegedly fleeing from law enforcement.

Jeremiah Robert Kendall, 35, was arrested May 25, 2016, and charged with one misdemeanor count each of assault, obstructing a peace officer and escape. Each of the three charges carries a possible sentence of up to six months in jail and $500 in fines.

The assault charge stems from an incident of May 18, 2016, in which Kendall allegedly assaulted a man at a gas station near Libby.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Capt. Jessica Vanderhoef of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the victim said he was parked at the gas station talking to a woman when Kendall attacked him.

“[Victim] said he was at Aiken’s Gas Station (commonly referred to as Bear’s Truck Stop),” Vanderhoef wrote in her report. “[Victim] said that he went into Bear’s for the sole purpose of using the restroom. When [victim] went back out to his vehicle, [witness] stopped at his car to talk to him. [Victim] said that he has been friends with [witness] for several months. [Victim] said that shortly after [witness] began visiting with him, Kendall pulled up into the parking lot, and came directly to his vehicle and began punching him in the face. [Victim] could not say how many times he was punched by Kendall, or what exactly Kendall had said to him, only that he was ‘threatening his life.’”

The victim reportedly sped off in his vehicle and stopped in a nearby parking lot to wipe the blood from his face, when Kendall allegedly pulled in behind him “in an attempt to assault him a second time.”

The victim again drove off in order to avoid Kendall, reportedly striking a parked car during his escape.

Vanderhoef interviewed two witnesses to the alleged assault. According to her report, one of the witnesses confirmed seeing Kendall “walk directly over to [victim’s] car and start punching him.”

The other witness told Vanderhoef the incident was fueled by jealousy, as Kendall believed she was engaged in a sexual relationship with the victim.

“[Witness] said Kendall was yelling at [victim] and saying Kendall’s friends told him that [victim] was sleeping with [witness,]” Vanderhoef wrote. “[Witness] said the incident was because of Kendall’s jealousy and believing that [victim} and [witness] were sleeping with each other.”

Vanderhoef applied for an arrest warrant for Kendall on the assault charge, which was issued May 20, 2016. Vanderhoef attempted to serve the arrest warrant on Kendall at his residence May 25, 2016, which resulted in the two additional charges.

According to Vanderhoef’s report, she informed Kendall she had a warrant for his arrest, at which time he fled to avoid custody.

“Kendall committed the offense of obstructing a peace officer or public servant when he hindered the enforcement of an arrest warrant,” she wrote. “Kendall was told that I had a warrant for h is arrest, and he ran. Kendall did not come willingly when he was told I had a warrant for his arrest.”

Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe said Kendall is the subject of other pending assault investigations in Lincoln County.

Kendall was arraigned and released on bond. He is next scheduled to appear in Lincoln County Justice Court June 30, 2016.