Roosevelt owner tells his side

COEUR d'ALENE - "It's people like you who cause people like me to snap, get a gun and go into an office like yours and just waste a bunch of your asses."

That was what John Hough, owner of the Roosevelt Inn Bed and Breakfast, said he told Avista Corp. over the phone on Wednesday, which led to the power company calling police. Police handcuffed Hough and took him to Kootenai Health for psychiatric evaluation.

Hough also told the serviceman there to cut off his power that the visitor had a choice.

"You can shut off the power and suffer the consequences," Hough said he told the man, "or you can take my request and depart my property."

Hough was released from protective custody Thursday afternoon and went back to work.

Police couldn't comment on the mental evaluation but Hough said doctors didn't deem him a threat to himself or anybody else.

He said he felt bad about scaring the serviceman - "somebody just doing his job" - but he was still upset at Avista on Thursday for raising rates and reporting positive earnings while every other business is struggling financially. Hough's bed and breakfast had fallen behind in its payments to Avista, owing $3,132.14 - much of it penalty and interest. The bill was paid after Wednesday's incident.

"They're threatening my livelihood, my life, my family, my business. This is a threat," Hough said of the company attempt to cut off the power. He also said the rifle police recovered at the top floor of the building had been loaded.

"Why does anybody get a gun?" he said in Thursday's interview with The Press. "When they're threatened by somebody or something. They get what's going to protect them from that threat. It makes me feel much better if I'm holding a gun that has 16 rounds in it. Actually I had nine."

Hough said he unloaded the rifle before police arrived at the downtown building on East Wallace Avenue. The Avista worker said he never saw a weapon on Wednesday. The company said it tries to work with customers on making payments. It couldn't comment on the incident directly other than threats had been made.

Christie Wood, police spokeswoman, said Hough still wouldn't face charges as it didn't meet the elements of aggravated assault since there was never an imminent threat. Since the weapon wasn't displayed there wasn't anything that tied the threat to the ability to carry it out.

Hough and the serviceman were downstairs at the time of the threats.

Hough said although the gun was loaded he never had any intention of using it, calling his threats "angry talk." Police took him into protective custody and ordered tests on the potential that he could have been a threat to himself or others after they located the rifle.

On Thursday, Tina Hough, John's wife, said she had received numerous calls from the community offering support, both emotionally and financially since the story broke. The couple appreciated the support, they said, but turned down all money offers.

The National Enquirer also called, Tina Hough said. The celebrity publication asked if John Hough's famous nephew, Derek Hough of the television show "Dancing With the Stars," was aware of the situation.

He wasn't, Tina Hough said.