Blackfoot woman charged after allegedly threatening woman and her dogs with rifle

BLACKFOOT — A 21-year-old Blackfoot woman is facing a felony charge after allegedly threatening another woman and her dogs with a gun.

The incident happened on Jan. 16 in Bingham County. Sage Hocking was scheduled for an initial appearance on Thursday at the Bingham County courthouse but it was continued to another date.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy responded to a call for harassment in January. The deputy found a woman who was crying and he asked her if she was okay.

She said she was okay, given the fact that she had just been shot at.

The victim said her dogs had gotten out and left her property. She said she was looking for her dogs and believed they had gone to a nearby residence. When she got to the residence, she saw her dogs and a woman near them. The victim said she did not know the woman’s name, documents said.

The woman was later identified as Hocking by law enforcement.

The victim said she saw Hocking with a rifle. Hocking began to yell at her about the dogs and accused them of killing some of Hocking’s peacocks, documents said.

The victim advised the deputy that Hocking’s peacocks were always out and on the road.

The victim picked up her dogs and as she was loading them into her vehicle, she heard a gunshot. The victim said Hocking then pointed the rifle at the front windshield of her vehicle and said “the next bullet would be through her windshield,” documents said.

The victim said she was preparing to leave and Hocking was still yelling.

The deputy asked if the rifle was pointed in her direction at the time the shot was fired. The victim said that it was and she had no idea where the bullet went.

The victim’s husband said he was on the road nearby, and headed home. He said he heard yelling and a gunshot.

Law enforcement went to talk with Hocking. Deputies asked her how she was doing and she said she was doing okay until “she screwed up,” documents said.

Hocking said she was coming out of her house with a rifle as the neighbors’ dogs were on her property. She has had issues with the dogs killing her livestock and did not know the neighbor.

Hocking said she told the woman to get her dogs and get off her property.

“I asked Sage what her intentions were with the rifle. Sage stated she was going to shoot (the victim’s) dogs,” court documents said.

When asked if she fired the rifle, she said she had. Deputies asked Hocking in what direction she had fired the rifle. Hocking said she turned away from the woman and fired the gun as they were arguing.

She said the rifle was a semi-automatic 22. Law enforcement tried searching for a shell casing but could not find it.

Deputies observed a dog kennel at Hocking’s residence with a dog inside of it.

“I asked Sage where (the victim’s) dogs were at the time she intended to shoot them. Sage stated that (the) dogs were by her dog kennel,” documents said.

Hocking has been charged with felony aggravated assault. The charge is punishable up to five years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.

Prosecutors are additionally seeking a sentencing enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon. It would extend a sentence by 15 years.

A summons was issued for Hocking. She is expected to have an initial court appearance on March 9 at 8:30 a.m. at the Bingham County Courthouse.