Dispute ends in gunfire

by Katherine Head
| February 14, 2005 10:00 PM

Bigfork Eagle

A dispute in a Bigfork pub resulted in the arrest of a local business owner last week. Montana Bistro owner Sean McMullen was taken into custody by a Flathead County Sheriff's deputy Feb. 2 after the officer heard shots fired in the Bigfork village.

According to sheriff's records, deputy Nick Salaway was parked behind the Garden Bar when he heard three shots fired at around 1:30 a.m. He then observed two men run from Twin Birch Square, one brandishing a pistol. McMullen was taken into custody and charged with criminal endangerment, misdemeanor assault and felony assault with a weapon.

McMullen appeared before Judge David Ortley Feb. 3. Ortley set McMullen's bond at $50,000, which was paid and McMullen released.

The incident started at the Village Well at 260 River St. According to Flathead County Patrol Commander Mike Meehan, witnesses said McMullen assaulted a female in the bar and struck another man in the face who intervened. McMullen and the man exited the bar and continued to fight outside. McMullen produced a gun and fired it.

According to McMullen's attorney Peter Leander, "The only reason Sean was in the Village Well was to pick up his cook and drive him home. He was only in there for about a minute and a half. Sean himself was assaulted in the bar and was assaulted outside the bar. Every action that Sean took was in self defense."

McMullen's arraignment is set for Montana District Court on Feb. 17 at 9 a.m.

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Bigfork Eagle

P.O. Box 406 / Bigfork, Montana 59911 / 406-837-5131