Two Lincoln County residents are facing multiple felony charges following an incident involving gunplay earlier this month at a Libby eatery where they both work.

Presley Pauline Aarstad, 34, is charged with two counts of assault with a weapon and criminal endangerment while Matthew Hollingsworth, 50, of Libby is charged with aggravated assault.

Aarstad was detained in the Lincoln County Detention Center before posting $125,000 bail. Hollinsgworth was also lodged in the county jail before posting $25,000 bail.

According to the probable cause statement by Libby Police officer Vince Smart, he, officers Caleb Thomas and Don Luthey were dispatched to East Second Street and Mineral Avenue at 11:18 p.m., Sept. 5 for a report of multiple gun shots.

Smart reported stopping his patrol vehicle just east of Po’ Sam’s restaurant. He got out and saw a group of security guards from a chainsaw carving event standing in front of the restaurant. The guards pointed at a woman that Smart recognized as Aarstad. 

According to Smart’s report, the guards indicated Aarstad had fired a gun. She was handcuffed and the guards told Smart that she had fired one round above the victim’s heads. 

Smart spoke to the victims, one a member of a band that was hired by Aarstad and Hollingsworth to play music at Po’ Sam’s. They said after the band was finished playing, Aarstad and Hollingsworth refused to pay them $500, which had been the deal. The ensuing argument involved challenges to fight. Everyone then left the restaurant and the argument continued outside in the patio area. 

On a cell phone video, Hollingsworth allegedly can be heard saying that he has a gun in his pocket and would shoot a band member in the head.

At some point during the argument, Aarstad left the area and allegedly returned with a handgun, firing it into the air above the victims' heads. Smart reported that it wasn’t known where the bullet landed.

When Smart placed Aarstad in the back of his patrol vehicle, he allegedly smelled alcohol. A portable breath test indicated her blood alcohol content was 0.326%, according to court documents. A test of Hollingsworth’s blood indicated it was 0.268%, court documents said.

During their Sept. 8 preliminary hearings in front of Justice of the Peace Jay Sheffield, both said they could afford bail.

Sheffield went over their release conditions, which included not consuming alcohol or drugs, not possessing weapons and no contact with the alleged victims or other defendants. They are also subject to alcohol testing or wearing an alcohol monitoring device and can not enter any bars or casinos, except they are allowed to re-enter the restaurant due to their employment.

A conviction for assault with a weapon may result in a maximum 20-year prison term and a $50,000 fine. A conviction for criminal endangerment may result in a maximum 10-year prison term and a $50,000 fine.

A conviction for aggravated assault may result in a maximum 20-year prison term and a $50,000 fine.