Lytle pleads guilty to assault charges

Nick Ianniello

Mineral Independent

A Tarkio man pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in Mineral County District Court Wednesday, Nov. 26.

Zack Wyman Lytle received a suspended five-year sentence to the Montana state prison system after he pleaded guilty in front of Judge Robert Deschamps.

According to an affidavit filed by Mineral County Attorney Shaun Donovan, Lytle assaulted his then girlfriend on Oct. 31, 2007.

Mineral County Undersheriff Mike Johnson responded on the morning of the incident and found the woman in a battered and “bruised condition,” with injuries Johnson said in the affidavit were consistent with assault.

The victim’s sister informed authorities that Lytle had been abusing his then girlfriend in the weeks prior to the incident.

On the morning of Oct. 31, 2007, the victim called her sister to ask for a ride. When she arrived at the house, she found the victim with a bruised face, a bulging jaw bone, superficial cuts and black and blue marks all over her body, including her face, back and stomach.

The sister told authorities the victim said, “He did it to me pretty good this time, sis.”

After a medical examination by family nurse practitioner Mary Webber, the victim was found to have signs of head injury, fluid behind her ear drums, bruising behind her ears and bruising around her neck consistent with strangling.

On April 2, 2008, the victim met with Donovan and reported that she was suffering from migraine headaches and hearing loss resulting from Lytle’s attack.

In court Wednesday, Deschamps said that after having read the accounts provided to him, he was convinced that Lytle was guilty. He went on to say that he found some of Lytle’s assertions about the event hard to believe and that he felt Lytle placed much of the blame for the attack on Wheeler rather than himself.

Lytle replied that he was ready to take responsibility for his actions.

Lytle’s five-year prison sentence was suspended, however under the conditions of his release he will have to report to a probation officer, have no contact with Wheeler and will not be allowed to drink alcohol or enter into bars.

“I want you make this clear to you sir, if I see you again in the next five years, you better bring your toothbrush because you’re going to state prison,” Deschamps said.