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Trial Set for February in Ferndale Shooting Death

By Beacon Staff

POLSON –Trial is set to begin on Feb. 2 for a Bigfork man charged with murder in the New Year’s Eve shooting death of a Ferndale man.

Ronald Petersen is accused of killing 24-year-old Clyde Wilson.

Court records say Wilson’s girlfriend called authorities and reported that someone broke into their home early on Dec. 31 and fired three shots at Wilson, killing him. She said the intruder then fled out the back door.

Petersen’s attorney indicated Wednesday at a District Court hearing in Polson that his client plans to argue self defense.

The trial is expected to last at least five days.

Petersen was on leave from the Army at the time of the shooting. He has been jailed in Lake County since Feb. 5 after he was returned to Montana from Fort Bragg Army Base in North Carolina.