Shooting suspects appear in court

SANDPOINT — Two men accused of opening fire on teenagers fishing the Priest River and injuring one of them were ordered held Thursday in lieu of $30,000 bail each.

Leo Michael Inwood faces felony counts of discharging a firearm at an occupied vehicle and evidence concealment, in addition to a misdemeanor charge of malicious injury to property. Eric Rampton Wood is also charged with discharging a firearm at an occupied vehicle, in addition to unlawfully possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction and misdemeanor malicious injury to property.

Inwood, 42, and Wood, 52, are accused of shooting at two 13-year-olds who were fishing off West Settlement Road on Tuesday. Incoming gunshots struck a Honda scooter they were standing away from, but one of the teens was shot in the right leg when they mounted the moped in order to flee the area, according to court documents. Sheriff’s officials said the injured teen was treated at Newport Community Hospital and released.

Wood initially denied involvement in the shooting, but later admitted that he fired a .357 magnum and a 12-guage shotgun. Wood said he was intoxicated at the time of the shooting and told investigators he was unaware that he was firing on a scooter or that the two teens were standing nearby, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Wood, a Kalispell, Mont., resident is barred from possessing firearms due to a 1997 conviction for burglary in Washoe County, Nev.

Although Wood admitted firing off rounds from the handgun and shotgun, Judge Lori Meulenberg ruled there was insufficient evidence to sustain the charge that he knowingly fired upon an occupied vehicle. The charge remains in place, although additional evidence will have to be presented for it to proceed further.

Inwood, a rural Priest River resident, admitted to being present during the incident, but denied firing off any rounds. However, he admitted gathering up the guns and fleeing the scene, a probable cause affidavit said. Charging papers allege that Inwood’s actions were meant to hinder the investigation into the shooting.

The seriousness of the offenses and the defendants’ prior criminal histories factored into the question of the mens’ bail.

“I would like ask to be OR’d,” said Inwood, referring to a release on his own recognizance.

Deputy Public Defender Luke Hagelberg argued in favor of an OR release given the vintage of Inwood’s scrapes with the law.

“I see nothing within the last decade,” Hagelberg said.

Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Valerie Fenton argued against in OR release.

“These allegations are very serious. We’re talking about a juvenile who was struck by a bullet,” said Fenton.

Meulenberg agreed to OR Inwood on the misdemeanor count, but imposed $15,000 bail for each of the felony counts.

“That is a very grave matter,” Meulenberg said of the charges.

Wood’s bail was also set at $30,0000 due to the seriousness of the offenses and prior convictions for domestic violence and driving under the influence.

Preliminary hearings in the case are set for Sept. 27.

If convicted of the weapon-discharge offenses, Inwood and Wood face up to 15 years in prison.

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