Libby woman who assaulted, threatened officer accepts plea deal

BONNERS FERRY — Holly Evans, 44, from Libby, Mont., accepted a plea agreement on June 15 for charges of driving under the influence, resisting or obstructing officers and injury to a child while driving under the influence.

Evans accepted a plea agreement that saw charges dropped, including Assault or Battery upon certain personnel and flee or attempt to elude a police officer in a motor vehicle.

According to court records, on March 7, 2021, at 6 p.m., dispatch reported road rage, which started near Ponderay and continued north on Highway 95. The dispatch reported a white pickup truck being aggressive with a green Toyota Tundra.

Bonners Ferry Police Officer Willie Cowell was near milepost 507 when he spotted the trucks mentioned by dispatch. Cowell attempted to catch up to the white truck driving 14 MPH above the speed limit near Chinook Street.

According to Cowell, the Chevy truck accelerated behind the Tundra to ram the back end of the vehicle. The Tundra maneuvered away from the Chevy to avoid being hit.

After witnessing the dangerous and reckless driving, Cowell activated his emergency lights in an attempt to get the reckless driver to calm their driving down. However, the driver continued to speed and almost sideswiped the Tundra.

The Chevy passenger leaned outside the vehicle window to give the middle finger to the driver of the Tundra, later identified as Marcie Thompson, with her 14-year-old daughter also in the back seat.

Evans, who was driving the Chevy truck, didn’t stop until about a mile later after Cowell had activated sirens and lights. Then, Cowell ordered Evans to step out of the vehicle at gunpoint.

Boundary County Sheriff’s Corporal Clint Randall arrived on the scene to provide backup for Cowell.

According to Cowell’s description, Evans displayed signs of being dazed, slurred speech, eyes bloodshot and uncooperative with his commands.

“Evans refused multiple lawful commands to step from her truck which was still running,” Cowell said, “demanded to know what her rights were and why she was stopped.”

Continuously turning toward the center console, Evans refused multiple times to listen to Cowell’s commands to keep her hands visible.

Cowell reached to open the driver’s door before Evans could lock the vehicle and forcibly removed her from the truck.

“It was at this point I could smell the overwhelming odor of an alcohol beverage coming from both the Chevy and Evan’s breath,” Cowell said.

As Cowell began searching Evans, he checked her feet and avoided an attempted back kick to the face by Evans, but was stuck by his left leg; Evans began to break free from Cowell and was put on the floor.

Evans sustained a head injury from being struck on the pavement, “sustaining a knot and contusions to the left side of her face.”

According to Cowell, the passenger, Thompson, also reeked of alcohol. She later explained they had driven to Sandpoint to pick up a couch.

Evans refused to allow Cowell to conduct a DUI evaluation but was transported to the hospital to treat the injury sustained and clear her for booking.

At the hospital, Evans began threatening and making obscene claims against Cowell.

“Evans verbal tirade included accusations of me touching her vagina and raping her in the field,” Cowell said, “She also articulated her plan of killing me when she is released from jail, while staring into my eyes.”

According to Cowell, Evans continued her drunken tirade by saying she hoped Cowell’s daughter would get gang-raped and sodomized, which became too much for Cowell to reiterate.

“Evans’ disgusting remarks are too numerous and I feel not necessary to continue narration of,” Cowell said.

Because of constant resistance, Evans was restrained during her hospital treatment.

The plea agreement details that Evans must serve 40 hours in jail, 364 days of unsupervised probation, enroll in substance abuse class and be required to have an ignition interlock for 12 months.