Man accused of shooting two deputies in Blanchard, Idaho, charged with attempted murder

The man accused of shooting two Bonner County Sheriff’s deputies was charged on Thursday with two counts of attempted murder, and is being held on a $2 million bond.

Adam D. Foster often appeared confused during his 20-minute bond hearing, claiming he was set up and that the deputies were “going to take me to an off-site location to my death.” At points, he denied that the deputies who were shot were even there.

On Jan. 16 three deputies attempted to arrest Foster for two misdemeanor battery charges.

Two deputies, Justin Penn and Michael Gagnon, were shot during the arrest. Both deputies have been released from the hospital. Foster was also shot during the altercation.

There has been a warrant out for Foster’s arrest for nearly a year. In January 2016, his mother called police telling them she felt threatened.

According to court documents, the mother told deputies her son had “got into her face,” slapped her and “pushed her.” She said her son had been acting paranoid and saying strange things, documents say.

Foster’s mother also warned deputies in 2016 that Foster told her “if she called the police he would kill them and her.” She also told the deputies that Foster often carried a gun.

On Jan. 10 last year, several deputies, including Justin Penn, went to the Blanchard home. According to court documents the officers proceeded with caution because of the threats. After knocking Foster “burst out of the front door wearing a long black trench coat and began yelling.”

After the deputies identified themselves Foster went back inside his home.

The deputies didn’t have a warrant for Foster’s arrest at that time, so after about 30 minutes they left the residence.

A warrant for Foster’s arrest was issued on Jan. 14, 2016. Why deputies waited more than a year to arrest Foster is unclear.

“That was between me and my mom, that was a pretty petty thing,” Foster said Thursday in court.

Foster’s frequent outbursts during the routine bond hearing, Thursday, prompted his court appointed lawyer to tell him to be quiet numerous times.

As the judge read Foster his rights, and explained the various charges leveled against him, Foster appeared agitated. At one point, he turned toward the bailiff standing near him and said under his breath, “this sounds bad.”

Later, he sighed, and said, “no one is ever going to believe me.”

Foster’s mother, when contacted by phone, declined to comment.

“Yeah, I have a lot of explaining to do, your honor,” Foster said Thursday, adding, “I was forced into a positon I did not want to be in.”