Vancouver man charged after Montana highway shooting

BUTTE, Mont. — Prosecutors may file attempted homicide charges against a Vancouver man accused in a drive-by shooting on Interstate 90 near Drummond, Mont., last week.

Granite County Attorney Chris Miller said Matthew Colbert, 39, might be charged with felony attempted deliberate homicide. Investigators say Colbert shot at a couple from his truck on the interstate Friday.

He remains jailed on $100,000 bond and is expected to be arraigned Thursday in Granite County District Court in Philipsburg, Mont.

Colbert was initially charged with two counts of felony aggravated assault with a weapon. Miller decided to seek the more serious attempted homicide charges after reviewing the case.

Granite County Sheriff Scott Dunkerson reported that an older couple was westbound several miles west of Drummond about 6:30 a.m. when a vehicle pulled up behind and then beside them. Shots were fired from the vehicle, and both the couple’s passenger-side and driver-side windows were shattered.

No one was injured, Dunkerson said.

The alleged victims called 911 after the shooting. A Montana Highway Patrol trooper later spotted the suspect’s truck and made the arrest.

Miller wouldn’t speculate on what motivated the shooting. He said several firearms were confiscated from the suspect’s truck after his arrest.