Man jailed on robbery charge

SANDPOINT — A Sandpoint man was arrested early morning Monday after allegedly putting a 76-year-old family member in a chokehold and taking his wallet and car keys.

Evan John Owens is charged with robbery, a felony punishable by no less than five years and up to life, according to Idaho Code. Owens was scheduled to make an initial appearance in Bonner County Magistrate Court on Monday, although information concerning bail and legal representation was not immediately available on Monday afternoon.

The alleged victim turned up at the Sandpoint Police Department shortly after midnight to report alleged attack, according to a probable cause affidavit. He told police he refused to turn over a key to Owens, which prompted Owens to lock the door to the garage they were standing in.

The alleged victim bolted toward the door, but Owens, a 22-year-old trained in jiu-jitsu, intercepted and attacked him, the affidavit said.

The alleged victim told police he grappled with Owens on the floor of the garage for several minutes before Owens placed the man in a chokehold, which nearly caused him to lose consciousness.

Owens, meanwhile, told police he reached into the man’s pockets to retrieve the wallet and keys, and “brought him to the ground in a gentle manner more or less,” the affidavit said.

Owens, the affidavit said, denied choking the man, but clarified that the move he made “wasn’t a rear naked chokehold per se,” according to the affidavit.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for June 12.

Outside of infractions, Owens has no prior criminal record in the state of Idaho, according to the iCourt web database.

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