Robert Earl Snyder has been charged in Great Falls with assaulting a woman, resulting in injuries that were described as possiblly life-threatening.
Just before 6 p.m. on Tuesday, officers were dispatched to an address on 7th Avenue South to investigate a report of an assault.
The woman told police she and Snyder were arguing, and the argument quickly escalated into a physical fight.
A witness and the victim both told police that Snyder hit the woman on the side of her head with a large floor fan, causing a large avulsion . The injury was above and slightly behind the victim's left ear, approximately 3" in length and deep enough to expose the skull beneath. The blow was significant enough to cause the fan to shatter into multiple pieces on the floor.
Hospital staff described the wound as "possibly life-threatening," requiring a series of stitches and staples to close the wound.
Snyder has been charged with felony assault and misdemeanor partner/family member assault.
Court documents state that Snyder has an outstanding probation revocation, and is out on bond on a felony drug possession, and has charges pending on another drug
possession case. Additionally, Snyder has multiple failures to appears in his pending cases.
According the Montana Department of Corrections, Snyder has felony convictions in Cascade County for criminal mischief and criminal possession of dangerous drugs.