Police: Man pointed gun at neighbor

A 58-year-old Athol man who is in jail on $25,000 bail after allegedly pointing a gun at a man following a property dispute was warned by a judge Monday to stay away from his neighbors.

Kenneth L. Stewart is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a felony that carries up to five years in prison.

First District Magistrate Anna Eckhart imposed a protection order and warned Stewart to not engage with his neighbors.

“Do not talk to them, do not look at them, do not give them friendly hand gestures, if you know what I mean,” Eckhart said. “There is nothing in this world that aggravates people more than boundary disputes … your actions were very scary.”

Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies said Stewart had been drinking Saturday when he confronted a neighbor west of Silverwood near Brunner Road about a property dispute.

Witnesses called authorities around 9 p.m. after hearing a heated argument in the neighborhood.

When one of the neighbors went to investigate, he was confronted by Stewart on a four-wheeler driving south. The four wheeler stopped, according to the alleged victim, and Stewart drew a sidearm and pointed the 9mm handgun at the victim’s head for several seconds, according to deputies.

The victim, who knew Stewart, requested Stewart put the gun down, deputies said.

“(The victim) identified himself several times before Stewart put the gun down,” according to a deputy’s report. “Once the gun was lowered Stewart went on yelling statements, something (like), ‘This is war. I am going to kill him if he comes on my property.’”

Deputies said the victim feared for his life.

“I thought he was going to shoot me,” the victim told deputies.

Prosecutors wanted a higher bond for Stewart, but his attorney, Rick Baughman, said his client had no criminal record, owned a home along Brunner Road and had hired an attorney, an indication he planned to resolve the issue in court. Baughman asked that Stewart be released on his own recognizance, but Eckhart denied the request.

“Any more (actions) like this and your bond will be set considerably higher,” Eckhart said.