Man acquitted in shooting back in jail

A 27-year-old Athol man who was acquitted by a jury in April for shooting a man seven times at a Coeur d’Alene apartment is back in jail on burglary and assault charges.

Keven Custer faces two counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of burglary and one count of aggravated assault, all felonies.

Custer is accused of stealing gasoline, an iPod and an iPad, attempting to break into his parents’ Athol home Tuesday by puncturing the door with a knife, and getting into a fight with his brother, who tried to kick him off the property. He was also charged with possession of methamphetamine, deputies said.

Custer was arrested about 3 p.m. while driving a white Subaru on Highway 53. His bail amount is $100,000, according to jail records.

Custer was acquitted by a jury last spring after a two-day trial in Coeur d’Alene’s First District Court. Jurors deliberated 90 minutes before returning a not-guilty verdict for Custer, who was on trial for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon for shooting 46-year-old Chris Gunderson with a 9 mm handgun on Oct. 4. Custer shot Gunderson while lying on the ground after being struck by Gunderson with a blow that knocked out one of Custer’s teeth and cracked two others.

The jury found Custer “had a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm,” according to his attorney, Joseph Sullivan.

Custer also faces four misdemeanors related to the latest incident, including frequenting a place where drugs are used, petit theft, malicious injury to property and possessing stolen property.

An Aug. 9 probable cause hearing has been scheduled.