Libby man pleads not guilty to assault charges

A Libby man pleaded not guilty on Monday for a third or subsequent offense of partner or family member assault, a felony.

Justin Phillip Hoover was arrested on Jan. 21 after his wife reported that Hoover allegedly assaulted her.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Hoover’s wife told police that while she was in her car, her husband had allegedly taken an axe to her car and chopped holes in her windshield.

Hoover’s wife told police that she went to confront her husband on allegations against him regarding infidelity.

While confronting him, Hoover’s wife claimed that he became angry and while she was leaving, he allegedly took an axe to her car.

When officers inspected the vehicle, they allegedly found that the windshield had three distinct holes with a size and shape similar to an axe, they also found a double blade axe sticking out of the vehicle’s headlight on the passenger side.

Hoover has three prior convictions for partner or family member assault in 1996, 2001 and 2008.

If he’s convicted, he could face a maximum of five years to the state prison and $50,000 in fines.