An Evergreen man pleaded guilty to felony criminal endangerment three months after pulling an AR-15-style rifle on a police officer.
Andrew Todd Westfall appeared at a change of plea hearing in Flathead County District Court on Jan. 9. Westfall pleaded guilty to the amended charge of criminal endangerment and will be sentenced on March 1.
Prosecutors are expected to recommend a suspended sentence to the Department of Corrections and the defense will recommend a deferred sentence.
According to court records, law enforcement responded to a report of a disturbance on Oct. 14 in Evergreen. When Flathead County sheriff’s deputies arrived, they learned that Westfall had gotten into an argument with his girlfriend. The deputies ordered Westfall to exit his trailer, but when they looked inside they found him allegedly pointing a Mossberg 715T semi-automatic rifle at them. The officers pulled their guns and ordered Westfall to drop the weapon, which he did. Officers discovered that there was a live round in the chamber and the safety was off.
Westfall was initially charged with felony assault on a peace officer and pleaded not guilty in November.