St. Regis man pleads not guilty to 8 charges

A St. Regis man pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Mineral County District Court Wednesday morning to eight charges ranging from aggravated burglary to assault with a weapon and violation of a protection order.

Austin Byron Courser is facing felony charges of aggravated burglary, partner or family member assault, assault with a weapon, and a third offense of violating an order of protection and misdemeanor charges of assault, theft, criminal trespassing and criminal mischief.

He faces to total of possibly 67 years in Montana State Prison, two years in Mineral County Jail and $154,000 in fines.

According to an affidavit filed by Mineral County Attorney Shaun Donovan, on July 18, 2004 Mineral County Deputy Sheriff Brian Armour interviewed Rochelle Stone and Russell McKague regarding an incident that took place the previous evening.

The affidavit states that McKague and Stone told Armour that Courser used to be Stone’s boyfriend and the previous evening he had entered her home and threatened to kill them.

Stone and McKague told Armour that they were in Stone’s bedroom the night of the incident when Courser entered the room and began cursing and threatening them.

Stone said that after her relationship with Courser ended he was forbidden to return to her home and an order of protection had been issued on June 2, 2004, forbidding Courser from having any contact with Stone or her children.

Courser first struck McKague with his fists several times before McKague was able to flee the residence.

Stone told Armour that after McKague left, Courser struck her several times and during the course of the altercation raised a small wooden club which Stone believed he was going to use to hit her.

Stone reported that after the attack Courser went through McKague’s wallet, removing $200 in cash, a driver’s license and a Social Security card. Courser kept the cash and the driver’s license but destroyed McKague’s Social Security card.

Before leaving the residence, Stone said that McKague smashed, dismantled and removed parts from her car, making it impossible for her to drive the vehicle.

According to the affidavit, Courser has been convicted of at least two other incidents of partner or family member assault.

Courser had been on the lam since the charges against him were filed four years ago. He was picked up on a Mineral County warrant in Bonner County Idaho on Sept. 18 and transferred to the Mineral County Jail on Sept. 26.