Kalispell man charged with felony assault on wife

A man from Kalispell, Montana, is facing serious legal troubles after allegedly assaulting his wife. Malakai Steven Long, 20, has been charged with felony aggravated assault in Flathead County District Court. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on March 13. An omnibus hearing is scheduled for August 20, followed by a pretrial conference on September 17. Authorities arrested Long on March 4, but his wife claimed the conflict began two days earlier. During an argument at their home on March 2, he reportedly became verbally abusive and threatened to kill her and her family. On March 3, he even prevented her from leaving the house by holding her legs. The situation escalated on March 4. Long was yelling at his wife, expressing a desire for a divorce. After she slapped him during an argument, he allegedly pushed her down and began striking her. He then choked her for about 45 seconds. After releasing her, he threatened her with a knife before injuring himself and fleeing the scene. Deputies arrived to find a knife at their home and observed injuries on the wife's neck, arm, and wrists. During questioning, Long admitted to assaulting his wife, saying he was not thinking clearly at the time. He faces a possible prison sentence of up to 20 years, plus additional time for using a weapon.