Fleming found not guilty of felony family member assault

A Lake County Jury found a Pablo man not guilty on felony charges of partner or family member assault and criminal endangerment. Jacob P. Fleming, 47, was accused of making a false report that an intruder was assaulting his father.

Opening arguments began in Polson District Court Dec. 4. By noon the next day, a jury had already reached its verdict and the case against Fleming is now closed.

According to court records, on April 8, a deputy with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an assault in progress at a residence in Pablo. Fleming had reported that his father was being held hostage and assaulted and requested permission to “shoot at people.”

When the deputy arrived, he located Fleming sitting in a truck outside the residence. The deputy entered the residence and located Fleming’s elderly father inside. A check of the home revealed no one else there.

The elder Fleming indicated no one else had been there and that his son had fired shots inside the home. The deputy observed glass on a wood stove that appeared to have been shot out.

The elder Fleming said he was afraid of his son. He also indicated that his son had fired another round, possibly from a .45 caliber handgun, in the upstairs part of the home the day before.

The deputy located a spent .22 caliber shell casing near the wood stove and reported that Fleming was in possession of .22 in the truck outside.

Records show Fleming has three prior convictions for partner or family member assault, and a fourth pending from an incident involving his girlfriend last March. That case is set for trial in the same court, Jan. 2. Fleming remains in the Lake County Jail with bail set at $100,000.