Del Orrin Crawford, accused of shooting and killing a woman outside of the Southfork Saloon in Martin City, was arraigned in Flathead County District Court on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.
Crawford, 40 years old, pleaded not guilty to charges of deliberate homicide, attempted deliberate homicide, and tampering with/fabricating physical evidence.
Charging documents state that the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office received several calls regarding a shooting at the Southfork Saloon in Martin City at 1 a.m. on August 27.
Deputies arrived and saw Doug Crosswhite on the road in front of the bar with a tourniquet around his arm and a seal on his chest wound.
Deputies also saw 28-year-old Whisper Dawn Mari Sellars of Hungry Horse receiving CPR on the ground with a chest wound.
Sellars died at the scene; Crosswhite was taken to Logan Health in Kalispell for medical treatment.
Witness Chelsea Bauska had been performing CPR on Whisper Sellars. Law enforcement conducted interviews on the scene with Bauska.
Bauska reported the incident began when Crawford saw some people trying to start a golf cart outside of the bar and the situation escalated, according to charging documents.
Bauska said she tried to de-escalate the situation, but Crawford and Sellars got into an argument with pushing and shoving. Bauska stated Crawford fired his gun hitting Sellars and Crosswhite.
Deputies spoke with another witness, Bradley Crosswhite, who stated Sellars, and Alicia Crosswhite were sitting on the golf cart taking pictures when they were confronted by Crawford.
Bradley Crosswhite stated that Crawford, Sellars, and Alicia Crosswhite began to argue.
Bradley said Crawford pushed Sellars and Alicia Crosswhite. She said Doug Crosswhite pushed Crawford in response. Bradley said Crawford fell backward, got up, pulled a handgun from his waistline, and began shooting.
Charging documents state Crawford told the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office over the phone he had fired his weapon in self-defense. Crawford was found on South Fork Road and placed under arrest.
Charging documents state that Crawford refused to tell law enforcement where the firearm was located, saying “it was in a safe place and the officers would not find it.”
A trial date has not been set.
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