Hawk set to plead guilty
Megan Strickland
Galen Hawk
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POLSON — A Ronan man accused of shooting and killing a toddler is expected to plead guilty on Jan 28.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys said they had reached a plea agreement for Galen Hawk during a scheduled omnibus hearing on Jan. 21.
Hawk is accused of shooting and killing 3-year-old Lonato Moran-Allen on Oct. 22, 2014. Court documents say the child was taken to the St. Luke Community Hospital by relatives after being shot at a residence east of Ninepipe.
The State Medical Examiner from the crime lab in Missoula concluded that the victim died from a single gunshot wound to the torso. The firearm was a small caliber handgun.
Hawk later admitted to investigators that he accidentally shot the child in a game of "gun tag," played after he consumed alcohol earlier that evening. Hawk said he didn't know the gun was loaded.
Hawk is also facing charges for felony drinking and driving, fourth or subsequent offense. He was stopped by a St. Ignatius police officer on Dec. 29, 2012. The officer noted signs of intoxication and when taken to Lake County Jail, Hawk’s breath test read .162. He did not show up for his arraignment on Feb. 27, 2013, and a warrant for his arrest was issued March 4, 2013.
