Hearing waived in shooting

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man accused of shooting at an employee of an assisted-living facility in Sandpoint last summer is waiving his right to a preliminary hearing.

James Albert Raftery III’s waiver amounts to tacit agreement that the state possesses sufficient evidence to justify trying him on a charge of aggravated assault in 1st District Court.

Raftery is scheduled to be arraigned in district court on Jan. 7, 2019. If convicted of the felony offense, Raftery faces up to five years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine, according to Idaho Code.

Raftery, 63, is free on conditional release while the case is pending, court records show.

Raftery is accused of opening fire on an employee at a Huckleberry Retirement facility in June after the employee directed another worker to retrieve a dinner plate from Raftery, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Raftery allegedly grabbed the arm of the woman who was directed to collect the plate and used his other hand to retrieve a pistol from beneath his shirt and opened fire on the male employee, who managed to duck the incoming gunshot, court records indicate.

The firearm involved in the shooting was a Model 1911 chambered for a .22-caliber round, according to court documents.

The case against Raftery has been repeatedly delayed due to questions about the man’s fitness to proceed and plea negotiations, court records show.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.