Man sentenced for attack

SANDPOINT — Jurisdiction was retained Friday in the case of an Oldtown man who was accused of kidnapping and threatening to kill his girlfriend on Hoodoo Mountain earlier this year.

That means Patrick Allen Geaudreau will have to spend up to a year in prison before a decision is made to release him onto probation or serve up to seven years.

Geaudreau was charged with first-degree kidnapping, aggravated battery, attempted strangulation and witness intimidation. He also faced a sentencing enhancement for using a set of brass knuckles during the May 8 attack.

The 28-year-old woman told Bonner County sheriff’s deputies she was attacked in a vehicle as they made their way to the mountain’s summit. She said she was placed in choke hold twice and managed to escape the vehicle, but was recaptured and beaten, according to court documents.

Geaudreau, 27, allegedly threatened to kill her and the woman believed he would have made good on the threat if she hadn’t raised such a commotion, police reports said. They made their way back down the mountain and the woman made another escape attempt but was again tackled.

A passing motorist happened by and the woman jumped in the vehicle and escaped Geaudreau.

Geaudreau entered not guilty pleas, but rescinded them and entered Alford pleas to aggravated battery and attempted strangulation. Under the plea, Geaudreau admits no wrongdoing but concedes he could be convicted at trial.

In exchange for the pleas, the remaining charges were dismissed, court records show. The sentencing enhancement was also jettisoned.

Bonner County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Shane Greenbank recommended concurrent five- to 10-year prison terms due to the ferocity of the attack and an escalation in Geaudreau’s criminal records, which includes a prior burglary conviction.

“It is a serious case. It was quite a beat down,” Greenbank said.

Deputy Public Defender Susie Jensen argued against an extended period of confinement because it would not address the issue at the root of her client’s misconduct.

“The main problem here is the drugs,” said Jensen. “This is his first violent crime of any kind. I don’t think that this is a pattern. I think this all stems from substance abuse and I think that’s what needs to be treated and I don’t think that will happen with the imposition of a sentence.”

Geaudreau acknowledged his misconduct and apologized.

“I know what I did was wrong. I’m sorry. I’ve never done anything violent before,” he said.

The victim in the case did not attend the hearing and did not provide the court with a victim impact statement, court records show.

First District Judge Barbara Buchanan said she was troubled by the degree of violence in the case.

“What’s really concerning is I’m not sure how far that incident would have gone if a passerby hadn’t intervened,” Buchanan said.

However, Buchanan said she recognized Geaudreau’s need for treatment and counseling. Geaudreau’s age and the fact that he’s the primary means of support for his three children also factored into the court’s decision against lengthy incarceration.

Buchanan imposed and suspended concurrent three- to seven-year prison terms and retained jurisdiction, also known as a rider. Geaudreau was given credit for 181 days of pretrial incarceration and will be required to successfully complete Bonner County Drug Court as a condition of probation, court records indicate.