A Lake Bronson, Minn., man is facing two felony assault charges in the shotgun shooting of his girlfriend.
Dave Eidem, 49, is accused of shooting 48-year-old Laura Docken just below the groin last week, Kittson County Attorney Roger Malm said.
"It is certainly a disfiguring injury," Malm said. "An inch to the left or the right, it would have been a whole other story with the femoral artery."
Malm said the couple had been drinking Wednesday night, and at different times, went to Eidem's home. Docken came in later and Eidem told her to leave, but with no way of getting home, she stayed, Malm said.
Eidem attacked Docken with a hammer, hitting her on the arms and legs, Malm said. Docken went into the bathroom, and when she came out, Eidem shot her, Malm said.
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The county attorney said Docken, who took a painkiller that night, then went to sleep.
"As soon as she woke up, she knew something was wrong," Malm said. "The fortunate part is that she didn't bleed to death."
Docken, Lancaster, Minn., went to a clinic in Karlstad, Minn., on Thursday morning and later was taken to Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, where she underwent emergency surgery. She was in satisfactory condition Friday and was not listed as a patient Tuesday.
Authorities searched Eidem's home in Lake Bronson and found evidence of the shooting, including blood, tissue and shotgun pellets, Malm said.
Malm said investigators believe they've recovered the gun Eidem used.
Both charges are for second-degree assault, which involves a weapon. One is for the hammer attack, and the other is for the shooting, Malm said.
A judge set bail at $20,000 for Eidem, who remained in custody Tuesday night. The court has not yet appointed an attorney to represent him, the Kittson County Sheriff's Office said.
No one answered the phone at Eidem's home Tuesday night.
