Man faces felony weapon charge

A Columbia Falls man is facing felony charges that he pointed a pistol at another man during a foot chase on Central Avenue in Whitefish.

Tod Joseph Backes, 28, was arrested July 7 on charges of felony assault with a weapon. His arraignment was set for Aug. 6 in Flathead District Court.

The alleged incident took place on Sept. 15, 2013. According to court documents, Whitefish Police officers were dispatched to the Craggy Range Bar and Grill downtown for a report of two men seen slashing tires in a nearby parking lot.

A bar employee told police the men appeared to be drunk and left the bar in an unruly manner. The employee later looked over a fence and allegedly saw people slashing his vehicle tires. He yelled and the suspects took off running.

Another man on the scene ran after the two suspects, documents states.

During the foot pursuit, Backes allegedly pointed a gun at the man chasing him from a distance of about 10 feet. The man told police he was scared for his life and returned to the bar.

A witness to the chase told police he didn’t see a weapon, but heard the sound of “a slide being racked.”

Officers used a credit card receipt from the bar to track down the suspects.

During an interview with police, Backes allegedly admitted to owning a gun and having the pistol in his hand as he was running from the bar.

Backes faces a maximum fine of 20 years in state prison and a $50,000 fine.