Montana Man Sentenced for Weapons Charges in 2020 Incident at Clare Best Western

Clare County Prosecutors Office Release

David Matthew Wood of Helena, Montana, pleaded no contest to Weapons – Firearms – Discharge in a Building, Assault with Intent to Murder, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on Dec. 19, 2022. These convictions were the result of an investigation led by the Clare City Police Department with assistance from multiple police agencies which included the Clare County Sheriff Department and the Michigan State Police. In July 2020, the defendant was a guest at the Best Western in Clare. Police were dispatched there for a man who had a gun and was making suicidal threats. The incident escalated with the defendant discharging the firearm inside of the hotel room and at responding police officers in the parking lot. He was sentenced Feb. 22 by Judge Tara Hovey to serve a prison term.

The defendant was sentenced to serve the maximum sentence of 10 years for the Discharge of a Firearm in a Building; 10.5 years to 20 years for the Assault with Intent to Murder; and the maximum sentence of 4 years for the Assault with a Dangerous Weapon convictions.

He received 939 days credit for time already served. All sentences will run concurrently with one another. He was also ordered to pay $56,848.09 total in restitution and fines and costs.