Woman sentenced for shooting incident

A 30-year-old Hungry Horse woman involved in a July 21 shooting in Hungry Horse recently was sentenced to five years with the Department of Corrections, all suspended.

Leaha Ann Terrell was initially charged with one count of felony assault with a weapon and one count of felony solicitation of assault with a weapon. She faced up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine for each of the charges if convicted.

Following an Oct. 18 plea agreement supported by the county attorney’s office, the assault charge was dismissed. On Jan. 17, Flathead County District Court Judge David Ortley also ordered Terrell to pay a $1,000 fine with half suspended and $800 for public defender services with half suspended.

According to court records, Terrell’s 40-year-old boyfriend, Ray Bell, allegedly fired a gun at several men after they drove past his home on July 21 following an argument at the Dam Town Tavern. The driver later went to North Valley Hospital to have shotgun pellets removed from his arm.

Shortly after the first shooting incident, two women drove to Bell’s home to see what happened. The women later reported seeing Bell aim a “long gun” at them, and one claimed she heard Terrell shout, “Shoot them, Ray, shoot them.” The two women claim Bell fired three times at their vehicle.

Bell initially was charged with two counts of felony assault with a weapon and a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the weapon charges and is being held in the county detention center.