Evergreen Man Gets 5 Years for Strangling Neighbor

KALISPELL – A 35-year-old Kalispell-area man who pleaded guilty to negligent homicide for strangling his neighbor during a fight in May has been sentenced to 15 years with the Department of Corrections with 10 suspended.

Michael Cuchine must also go to drug and alcohol treatment and anger management classes under a sentence handed down Monday by District Judge Stewart Stadler.

Cuchine admitted to the court that he used excess force when choking and beating his neighbor, Steven Maycumber.

Cuchine says he was defending himself after Maycumber started an argument, pushed him into traffic and attacked him with an ax.

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