Libby man who shot TVs pleads to misdemeanor

Jon Spencer plead guilty to misdemeanor negligent endangerment and was sentenced to anger management and a 24/7 sobriety program in Montana 19th Judicial District Court on Monday, April 9.

Spencer was originally charged with felony criminal endangerment for shooting a television which was pointed toward a public road in January.

On January 29, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Holzer responded to a 911 call from a woman who reported that her neighbor on Glendora Avenue had come to her house and told her someone had shot his TV.

Arriving at the residence, Holzer saw Spencer standing next to a pickup truck, according to an affidavit from Holzer.

Spencer told Holzer that he decided to shoot his TVs after an argument with his wife, Julie. Julie later told law enforcement that the argument was over her refusal to buy him a cell phone.

Julie Spencer told law enforcement that the 9mm pistol Jon Spencer used was hers. Jon Spencer had told Holzer he was a felon, which by federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms.

In the residence, Holzer saw four bullet holes in a flat screen TV in the living room and two bullet holes in a TV in the bedroom, the affidavit states.

Holzer also said that Spencer was relaxed and cooperative by the time he spoke to him, though he, “could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from him as he spoke with me.”

A breathalyzer test later gave a .236 reading from Spencer.

Julie Spencer later told police the argument that precipitated events had been verbal, not physical. Holzer also stated in the affidavit that Julie Spencer “appeared to be shocked” when told Jon Spencer shot their TVs.

Holzer charged Spencer with Criminal Endangerment due to the living room TV being in such a position that bullets fired through it could have endangered the public traveling on Glendora Avenue.

In court on April 9, Judge Matt Cuffe sentenced Spencer to a chemical dependency evaluation, anger management, and six months of 24/7 sobriety management with the potential to satisfy the requirement after three months with no violations.