Arrest made in Whitefish stabbing

A 39-year-old woman was arrested in Whitefish following a stabbing incident last night, Monday, Nov. 25.

According to Whitefish police chief Bill Dial, officers responded to a home in the 1100 block of O’Brien Avenue around 6 p.m., not far from the Whitefish police headquarters.

Upon arrival, officers found a male victim on the kitchen floor with a stab wound to the chest. Chad Newton, 37, is currently in the intensive care unit at Kalispell Regional Medical Center after going through emergency surgery.

The alleged suspect is AnnMari Newton, the victim’s wife. She has been charged with felony assault with a weapon and faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $50,000. Her bond was set at $75,000 during an initial hearing on Nov. 27.

A preliminary investigation has revealed that the couple was involved in a verbal disagreement during which AnnMari allegedly stabbed her husband in the left side of the chest.

When officers arrived, AnnMari was reportedly still on the phone talking with dispatchers. She directed officers to the kitchen, where her husband lay on the floor unresponsive.

AnnMari allegedly later told officers that the couple had gotten into an argument in the kitchen and that she then “thrust the knife toward Chad and stabbed him,” according to the charging document.

The couple have two minor children who were in the residence at the time. They were not injured and have been placed in the custody of a family friend by Child Protective Services. The investigation is on-going.