Woman defends home with bear spray
courtesy photo
Andrew Romas
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An Arlee man was committed, at District Court in Polson on Aug. 26, to the Montana Department of Corrections for 10 years with five years suspended on one count of felony robbery.
Andrew Daniel Romas, 36, of Arlee, pled guilty to the robbery charge as part of an agreement that dismissed, at sentencing, one count of felony burglary.
According to court records, on April 4, Lake County emergency dispatchers received a report that a man had assaulted a woman at her Polson residence. The victim told a responding law enforcement officer that a man, later identified as Romas, came to her door, knocked and then let himself in without permission.
The man told her he was touring the neighborhood to ask about a bill concerning local voting, but after the short conversation, he grabbed her. She said he pushed her onto the couch and told her to “be cool and cooperative” and he wouldn’t stab her.
The woman told Romas that there were others in the house, which prompted him to check a bedroom, and when he opened the door to the room, a dog escaped and began fighting with another dog in the home. Apparently afraid of dogs, Romas hid in the bedroom, which allowed the woman to retrieve a can of bear spray and deploy it at Romas.
After being sprayed, Romas ran to a neighbor’s house and tried to wash the pepper spray off in the kitchen before the occupants of that home kicked him out. They gave police a description of their intruder and he was quickly located and arrested.
Romas admitted to police that he did not know the woman. He also admitted that he went to her house with the intent of stealing money for drugs and he sat her down on the couch.
District John Larson, of Missoula, presided over the case. He gave Romas credit for 144 days jail time already served and recommended Romas be screened for a treatment program.
