A 21-year-old Helena man has been charged with Attempted Deliberate Homicide after he allegedly fired a handgun at a woman.
Matthew James Bolan made his initial appearance in Lewis and Clark County Justice Court Monday.
According to court documents, the woman was at a party with a group of friends in the area of Little Sheep Creek late Saturday or early Sunday morning evening when Bolan arrived with another woman.
Bolan reportedly confronted the woman and said, "If you start anything, I will kill you."
She told investigators shortly after that confrontation Bolan again became upset and retrieved a semiautomatic handgun from a his truck and allegedly pointed it at her chest.
The woman said she became scared and ran to seek cover and Bolan started firing the gun. She told authorities that she could see the flash from the gun and dust kicked up by the bullets as they hit the ground near her feet.
"She felt that he was shooting in her direction -- that it wasn’t just shooting to scare her, that he was actually shooting at her," said Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton.
Court records say a witness took the gun from Bolan and the victim left the area. She reportedly suffered bruising on her legs from falling when she fled.
Investigators returned to the area Sunday and found signs of the gathering and five .40 caliber shell casings on the ground.
When questioned by authorities, Bolan denied being at the party and denied firing a weapon at the woman.
The deputy investigating corroborated the woman's story with the witness who said they took the weapon from Bolan and evidence from the Bolan's truck.
They were also able to located the handgun Bolan is accused of using in the incident.
Bolan's bond was set at $20,000.
