Suspect in Butte Shooting Jailed, Missed Court

A 37-year-old California man who faces a drug charge in Dillon and an assault charge in Butte was jailed Friday after missing a court hearing.

The Montana Standard reports Luke Andrew Lapinski was scheduled to appear in District Court Thursday morning to enter a plea to an aggravated assault charge for an Aug. 1 shooting that left a man with a leg injury.

He told authorities he was stuck in the Salt Lake City airport and the hearing was rescheduled for 9 a.m. Friday. When Lapinski showed up an hour late, he was arrested on a warrant charging him with contempt of court and jailed in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Lapinski faces drug and weapons charges in Dillon after officers found a large bag of meth and a loaded .45-caliber pistol in his possession in April.