Woman fires rounds during altercation with teen

A woman was charged with assault with a weapon last week after discharging rounds during an altercation with a teenage family member.

On Monday, June 27, Mineral County Sheriff Tom Bauer, undersheriff Mike Boone, Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Roman Zylawy, and several deputies responded to reports of a shooting at a private residence. The house was located at 81 Two River Road near the OK Café in St. Regis.

A neighbor called at 10 p.m. regarding the woman, Billy Jo Chaffin, 40, who had fired several shots in the front yard of her home. Chaffin and an unidentified teenager, who lived in the home, had an altercation that resulted in the teenager leaving the house.

When law enforcement arrived, she was very agitated and had an AK–15 rifle and a pistol, according to Bauer. The officers managed to coax her away from the house, which had about a 50 yard driveway.

Once away from the home, Bauer and Boone managed to get near her. Once Bauer was within range, he subdued Chaffin with a taser.

The stand-off ended without incident after midnight. Bauer said she had been arrested before and this could have ended much worse, given the woman’s history.

Bauer praised everybody’s efforts, “highway patrol and the deputies did a phenomenal job. This had the potential to end very badly.”

Chaffin was arrested and charged with unlawful restraint, two counts of knowingly causing bodily injury to a family member, and two counts of assault with a weapon. Her bond has been set at $100,000 and she is currently in jail awaiting her initial appearance, scheduled for July 27 at 10 a.m.