Assault suspect faces trial

A two-day jury trial is set for a Bonners Ferry man who allegedly beat a woman so badly that she required life support.

The trial will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, and Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Suspect Gerald V. Kittell, 44, of Bonners Ferry on May 26 took the unidentified victim to Boundary Community Hospital, claiming she was involved in an ATV accident, according to court records. She had broken ribs and facial bones, and internal injuries, including a punctured lung.

The two had been camping at Boulder Creek Campgrounds on May 26, according to court records.

The woman was flown to Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’ Alene. KMC contacted police in Bonners Ferry and indicated the victim’s injuries couldn’t have been from an ATV accident, according to court records.

Kittell was charged with felony aggravated assault and remains in Boundary County Jail on a $500,000 bond.