Woman charged in false report case

A 29-year-old Sandpoint woman was arrested last week for a charge of providing false information to an officer after lying about being attacked.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on May 29, Sandpoint Police officers were dispatched to a residence after reports of a possible family offense. Upon arrival, court records said officers made contact with a woman, Angela Harden, who claimed that someone had allegedly attacked her with a knife.

Officers observed a half-inch laceration on her index fingers but no other noticeable injuries, according to the probable cause affidavit.

After interviewing other witnesses and collecting other supporting evidence, the officers concurred that the events that transpired did not match Harden’s story, court records said.

“After confronting Harden on this, she made admittance that she had fabricated that story in an attempt to get her [family member] in trouble,” officers wrote in the probable cause affidavit.

Harden was arrested for providing false information to an officer. She was required to pay a $300 bond and will have an arraignment on June 30.

An arraignment is different from a preliminary hearing in that the preliminary hearing is where the judge decides if there is enough evidence mounted against the individual for them to stand trial. An arraignment is where one can file a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest.