Libby woman pleads guilty to threatening husband with butcher knife

A Libby woman has pleaded guilty to threatening her husband with a knife in front of their son.

Amanda Jo Hammers, 38, entered her plea to an amended charge of misdemeanor partner or family member assault in Lincoln County District Court on Monday, Sept. 12, in front of Judge Matt Cuffe.

Hammers, who had been in custody in the Lincoln County Detention Center since Aug. 15, was scheduled to be released later that day.

Lincoln County Deputy Attorney Jeffrey Zwang recommended a 1-year suspended sentence in the county jail with credit for time she already served.

According to terms of the plea deal, Hammers must get evaluations for mental health and chemical dependency, follow all treatment plans, not possess or consume alcohol or drugs and have no contact with the victim or their son.

Hammers was originally charged with felony assault with a weapon.

Hammers is scheduled to return to district court on Friday, Sept. 23 for a hearing to determine if a temporary order of protection will be extended.

Her husband filed for a protection order on Sept. 6 and it was granted by Cuffe.

In the petition for the current order, her husband wrote that “she has delusional thoughts of me cheating and she broke my windshield. She also attacked me, some of which our son witnessed.”

According to court records, in 2009, another man sought a protection order for his daughter against Hammers.

In a probable cause statement filed by Libby Police Officer Ronald Buckner, he wrote that he met with the victim at about 7:12 p.m. on Aug. 15 at the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. The husband said their child was present when Hammers accused him of writing on her pool float tube. He responded that there was no writing on her float tube and that it was imaginary.

He said Hammers became enraged, ran into the kitchen and grabbed a large butcher knife and pointed it at him while threatening to stab him.

Part of Hammer’s conditions of release include not possessing any weapons, using illegal drugs or alcohol and submitting to testing for those substances.

She is also not allowed to have any contact with the victim or any witnesses.