A Columbia Falls man received a three-year deferred sentence eight months after he pulled a gun on his girlfriend and her children.
Justin Neil Barnett was sentenced in Flathead County District Court on March 21, a month after he pleaded no contest to two charges of assault with a weapon and one charge of partner or family member assault.
According to court documents, Barnett was camping with his girlfriend, her children and another man on July 22, 2018 in the North Fork area. At some point during the day, Barnett got into an argument with his girlfriend, who wanted to take her son back into town so a medical professional could look at a laceration on his foot. Barnett allegedly got upset and pushed the woman to the ground. Barnett then allegedly took out a handgun and fired several shots into the ground and another into a nearby vehicle. Barnett then fled the scene. Barnett was arrested soon after.