Suspect in gun incidents pleads guilty

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of aggravated assault stemming from separate armed confrontations north of Priest River last summer.

David Robert Brinkmeyer is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17 in 1st District Court. His $500,000 bail was reduced to $100,000 after entering the pleas.

Brinkmeyer, 60, is accused of threatening the occupants of a pickup truck with a shotgun on Aug. 8. The alleged victims drove past Brinkmeyer’s Old Stagecoach Road home to gain access to the Priest River, according to court documents.

Brinkmeyer allegedly fired a shotgun blast into the air before drawing down on an adult in the vehicle, which also held two juveniles. There were no injuries.

Less than a month later, Brinkmeyer is accused of opening fire with a pistol on a relative who posted his bail in the first case. The alleged victim in that confrontation went to take Brinkmeyer to court so the bail that was posted would not be forfeited.

Brinkmeyer, an affidavit of probable cause states, fired as many five rounds as the man drove into his driveway and allegedly admitted as much to dispatchers. The man in the vehicle expressed surprise he was not hit by the gunfire, according to the affidavit.

Brinkmeyer was originally charged with assault with intent to commit murder, but the charge was subsequently amended to simple assault at the felony level.