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Kalispell Man Convicted of Assaulting Wife

Geoffrey Stolte convicted at trial of assaulting wife with a knife, putting her into a headlock

By Justin Franz

A Kalispell man could face up to 20 years in prison after a July 23 conviction on charges of felony assault with a weapon and criminal endangerment for attacking his wife with a knife and then putting her in a headlock last fall.

A jury found Geoffrey Stolte guilty during his trial in Flathead County District Court this week.

According to court documents, on Sept. 26, 2013, Stolte was having an argument with his wife over the phone. After the conversation he came home in a rage, grabbed her by the arm and “told her he was taking her into the woods to bury her.” He then proceeded to restrain her in a headlock and hold a knife to her head. After, he put the knife down and grabbed a telephone base and screamed “how would you like someone to smash in your face?”

The wife tried to leave the home on several occasions but Stolte blocked her by putting her in a headlock and choking her until she could not breath. Eventually the woman was able to go into a bedroom, but Stolte followed her and then blocked her in, holding her hostage.

The next morning, the wife left the home for work and reported the incident to police. Officers with the Kalispell Police Department contacted Stolte and he admitted that he had put his wife in a headlock but denied ever brandishing a knife. He was charged with assault with a weapon and criminal endangerment on Sept. 30. Besides facing 20 years in prison, Stolte could also be fined up to $50,000.