ONTARIO, Ore -- A Nampa man accused of kidnapping and stabbing his ex-wife before swerving into the path of an oncoming SUV was formally indicted by a grand jury Thursday.
Anthony Montwheeler, 49, is facing murder charges in the deaths of 40-year-old Annita Harmon of Weiser and 38-year-old David Bates, who was driving the vehicle Montwheeler slammed into head-on.
The collision also injured Bates' wife, Jessica. Harmon was found dead in the front seat of the Montwheeler's pickup. It's not clear whether she was killed by the impact or was already dead when the crash happened.
Police say Montwheeler abducted Harmon from Weiser - where her car was found abandoned in the middle of the street - and drove her to the JNJ Corner Store in Ontario.
It was there, according to the district attorney, that a witness spotted him stabbing the woman and called 911. Montwheeler drove away as officers arrived, sparking a police chase down Highway 201 that ended when Montwheeler's pickup slammed into the Bates' SUV.
Montwheeler remained hospitalized Friday morning, but is in stable condition. His bond was set at $2 million.
The indictment includes charges for kidnapping, first-degree assault, and counts and both murder and aggravated murder for both Harmon and Bates. If the case moves forward to trial, jurors will be allowed to decide which of the murder charges best fits the circumstances of the case.
If convicted, Montwheeler could face up to life in prison or the death penalty.
