Hungry Horse man sentenced for July shooting

A 40-year old Hungry Horse man was sentenced to 10 years with the Department of Corrections with five suspended for his role in a shooting incident last year in Hungry Horse.

Flathead County District Court Judge Heidi Ulbricht sentenced Ray Bell on May 2 on a single charge of felony criminal endangerment.

According to court records, Bell allegedly fired a gun at several men after they drove past his home following an argument at the Dam Town Tavern on July 21, 2012. The driver later went to North Valley Hospital to have shotgun pellets removed from his arm.

Shortly after the first shooting incident, two women drove to Bell’s home to see what happened. The women later reported seeing Bell aim a “long gun” at them, and one claimed she heard Bell’s 29-year-old girlfriend, Leaha Terrell, shout, “Shoot them, Ray, shoot them.” The two women claim Bell fired three times at their vehicle.

Bell initially was charged with two counts of felony assault with a weapon and a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest and faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the weapon charges.

Terrell was initially charged with one count of felony assault with a weapon and one count of felony solicitation of assault with a weapon and faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Flathead County District Court Judge David Ortley sentenced Terrell on Jan. 17 following a plea agreement to five years with the Department of Corrections, all suspended.