A judge postponed Thursday the arraignment of the man accused of trying to kidnap a woman at a Flathead Valley gas station last month after he was deemed unfit to proceed.

County prosecutors have charged Gerald Schuhmacher, 63, with a felony count of attempted kidnapping in Flathead County District Court. He remains in custody with bail set at $500,000.  

A woman was waiting for a friend in her parked car at Woody’s Country Store off Montana 35 on the night of Dec. 11 when a stranger, later identified as Schuhmacher, parked next to her. He talked to her through their open car windows, gave her a few rocks and asked her to marry him, according to charging documents.  

After Schuhmacher drove away, he allegedly returned on foot and aggressively struck the woman’s vehicle. After she rolled her window down slightly, Schuhmacher reportedly asked, “Are you going to come home with me?”  

The woman said that she didn’t know him, and Schuhmacher allegedly responded, “No you’re going to come with me [if] I have to [expletive] carry you.”   

The woman refused, and Schuhmacher reportedly said, “Open this [expletive] door.”  

Before she could roll the window up, Schuhmacher allegedly pulled it toward himself and broke it. Then he reached into the car and tried to open the door, according to court documents.  

Schuhmacher allegedly pulled at her face and hair and ripped off the windshield wiper control arm during the ensuing struggle.  

The woman reported that she bit Schuhmacher’s arm, peeled his hands off the steering wheel and drove forward while he was still hanging on the window.  

After she left the parking lot and headed south on Montana 35, the woman reported seeing headlights from Schuhmacher’s vehicle behind her. She then shut her own lights off and turned off the highway to call 911 at around 11 p.m., court documents said.  

The woman told authorities that she may have glass in her hand from the broken window and was in pain from being grabbed and pulled. Blood was found on the woman’s dashboard, the driver’s side mirror and hood, according to court documents.  

During their interaction, Schuhmacher had reportedly told the woman that he lived a couple miles north on Montana 206 and was driving a red, single cab pickup truck with a ladder rack. Authorities released a surveillance photo taken of the vehicle a few days later, asking the public to help track the suspect down. 

A Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted a truck matching the surveillance photo parked outside a Montana 206 home on Dec. 15. Authorities contacted Schuhmacher, who was listed as the truck’s registered owner, at the home.  

Law enforcement personnel allegedly struggled with Schuhmacher before a deputy deployed a Taser on him.  

Schuhmacher, who sported cuts and scratches on his hands and arms, later told detectives that he had been at Woody’s Country Store, according to court documents. He allegedly told detectives he had grown angry because the woman wouldn’t listen and indicated that he wanted her to come to his house.  

Schuhmacher was scheduled to appear in court Jan. 8, but defense attorney William Managhan asked Judge Dan Wilson for a delay after talking with concerned family members and attempting to meet with Schuhmacher that morning.  

“I think it would be dangerous to the detention staff and possibly himself to force him to come to court,” Managhan said. “I’m pretty sure that he’s not fit to proceed, you honor.”  

Wilson rescheduled the arraignment for Jan. 22. Schuhmacher is expected to receive a fitness evaluation before that date.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected].