Marion man sentenced for road rage assault

A 19-year-old Marion man has been sentenced for a road rage incident in which he threatened another man with a shotgun at a Kalispell park.

Arthur Erickson was sentenced in front of Judge Robert B. Allison in Flathead District Court on Dec. 28. He received a three-year deferred sentence and was ordered to begin a Power and Control Program after pleading guilty to the felony assault with a weapon charge.

According to documents, police responded to a report of a hit-and-run crash in the Woodland Park parking lot in Kalispell on March 30, 2017. The incident started when Erickson allegedly punched the back of the man’s car as he was backing his vehicle into a parking space, and an argument ensued.

During the argument, Erickson allegedly went to his truck, which was parked nearby, and pulled out a shotgun. Erickson reportedly cycled the pump action on the shotgun and yelled at the man, saying “What are you going to do about it now?”

Erickson put the shotgun back in his truck and came back out with a knife, and the other driver reportedly got into his truck to leave. At this time, Erickson allegedly got into his truck and rammed it into the driver’s side of the man’s car. Responding officers reported the front bumper of the car being smashed and the headlights ripped from the vehicle.

Breeana Laughlin can be reached at 758-4441 or blaughlin@dailyinterlake.com.