Hearing begins in bizarre assault case

SANDPOINT — A preliminary hearing got under way Wednesday in the case of a landlord accused of dismantling a home with a tractor while three tenants were inside.

Paul Fagerlie Finman, 55, is charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Two state’s witnesses testified, but the proceeding had to be continued to next month because of a lack of time.

Although the state and the defense have yet to offer arguments in the matters, Deputy Prosecutor Shane Greenbank appears to be trying to make the case Finman knew or should have known a woman and her two children where in the home when he started dismantling it with a John Deere tractor fitted with forklift tongs. Defense attorney Jeremy Featherston appeared to try to demonstrate that his client was unaware the dwelling was occupied.

The bizarre incident occurred on Oct. 8, 2010, on Bandy Road. A teenage boy and girl and their mother escaped into the woods and were not injured.

The mother, Susan Campbell, testified that a rock was tossed through a sliding glass door and Finman was seen dismantling a deck with the tractor. Then the forklift tongs started piercing walls, prompting them the flee.

“I just really had to keep myself from panicking,” Campbell testified.

Campbell said she did not make contact with Finman on the advice of her husband because of an ongoing landlord/tenant dispute, the details of which were not explained on Wednesday.

A deputy who interviewed Finman at the scene said he made a “mistake” and was grateful there were no injuries. Finman allegedly told the deputy that he was dismantling the home so it could not be utilized by squatters and stopped the demolition once he noticed laundry drying on a clothesline.

A notice of eviction referenced during the hearing indicated the Campbells had until Oct. 31 to vacate the premises. Campbell’s husband, however, had written a letter advising Finman they would be out of the home by Sept. 30, about a week before the incident occurred.

Finman is free on his own recognizance while the case is pending.