A Kalispell man pleaded not guilty to charges of assault on a peace officer after allegedly attacking two sheriff’s deputies with bear spray last month.
Devin Andrew Lelm appeared in Flathead County District Court at an arraignment on March 3.
According to court documents, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a suspicious man looking into the windows of an Evergreen gas station shortly after 1 a.m. on Feb. 1. Two deputies responded to the location a short time later and made contact with Lelm, who allegedly sprayed both officers in the face with mace meant to stop bears. Despite being temporarily blinded by the bear spray, the deputies were able to subdue Lelm and place him under arrest.
If convicted, Lelm could face up to 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to go to trail in August and is currently incarcerated on $50,000 bond.
Lelm was previously convicted of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and assault with a weapon and was on probation. In October 2014, Lelm threatened a woman with a knife in the parking lot of the Kalispell Center Mall.