A Kalispell man pleaded not guilty in Flathead County District Court on July 24 on felony charges of burglary and partner assault.
According to court documents, Michael Gray Houchins broke into his ex-girlfriend’s Kalispell home on July 6, punched her in the back of the head and then yelled profanities at her.
Houchins has been convicted of partner assault on two previous occasions in 2006 and 2011.
On July 6, Houchins, who had reportedly been bothering his ex-girlfriend earlier in the day and had been warned by police to stay away, broke into her home through a broken back door. The woman saw Houchins, told him to leave and then ran into a room to get away. He followed her and then punched her in the back of the head and held up his fist as if he were going to hit her again, according to court records. Meanwhile, the woman’s roommate ran out of the house to call 911.
When the roommate left, Houchins reportedly began to tell the woman he was going to kill her and yelled profanities at her. She later told police she believed Houchins would have “bashed her head in” and killed her had two Kalispell Police Department officers not arrived at the scene. Officers found Houchins standing over the woman and he was arrested.
If convicted, Houchins faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $50,000. He is currently being held in the Flathead County Jail on $65,000. Houchins is set to go to trial on Jan. 5, 2015.