Pablo woman survives attempted shooting

PABLO – A Pablo woman is alive after her boyfriend tried to shoot her, Lake County law enforcement officials believe.

Eli Francis Diaz, 33 of Pablo, was arrested on suspicion of two felony counts of aggravated assault and three counts of felony criminal endangerment Nov. 5 after Lake County Dispatch received a call of gunshots fired at the Northwood Trailer Park in Pablo.

Members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Flathead Tribal Police and Montana Highway Patrol responded to the scene and found two women who were inside the shot-up home.

Though first reluctant to speak, one of the two women identified herself as Diaz’ girlfriend.

According to Lake County Court records the woman reported that she and Diaz were engaged in a heated argument the night before when Diaz threatened to kill her.

 During that fight, the girlfriend left the home.

When she returned, prosecutors said she found Diaz “intoxicated and acting erratically.”

Another altercation took place in the home’s bedroom where Diaz struck her “several times about her body with a heavy Mag Lite flashlight,” court records said. “He also pistol whipped (her) in the head with a .357 revolver that was later recovered. Diaz then strangled her and cut off her hair with a knife, records said.

The girlfriend said the pair’s five-year relationship was violent but she never felt like he would murder her until the Nov. 4 argument, records said.

The fight ceased because two visitors arrived at their home, but not before the visitors heard arguing and gunshots being fired.

When law enforcement officials served a warrant to search their home, they found a laundry list of guns and ammunition. Evidence of gunshots were found just above the couch that the two women were laying on and near the window.

Outside the home, investigating officers spoke to witnesses who pointed them toward more evidence of gunshots on an empty trailer, an occupied trailer and the front windshield of a car.

When confronted with the evidence, prosecutors said Diaz admitted that one of his guns went off when he was cleaning it the night before.

Diaz is being held on a $100,000 bond. If convicted, Diaz faces a maximum sentence of 70 years in jail and/or $200,000.