Diane Wetherbee (Custer County Sheriff’s Office).
An Idaho woman is accused of shooting a man in the leg with a .380 pistol during a drinking session, then nonchalantly going to sleep afterward, according to police reports. The altercation reportedly began when the man dared her to pull the trigger during an argument.
Diane Wetherbee, aged 65, faces charges of felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon following the incident that took place Saturday night. Court records accessed by Law&Crime indicate that a restraining order has been issued, prohibiting Wetherbee from contacting the victim.
Documents reviewed by East Idaho News reveal that the pair had been drinking together at a Challis residence when the dispute erupted. The man allegedly handed Wetherbee the firearm and challenged her to use it, a dare to which she allegedly responded.
Following the shooting, Wetherbee reportedly retreated to an upstairs bedroom and fell asleep. Another individual present in the house did not witness the shooting but confirmed hearing a gunshot, according to police accounts.
Authorities were alerted to the scene around 11:23 p.m. that night, where they discovered Wetherbee asleep. She was promptly arrested, and the handgun, believed to be used in the incident, was found lying on the bedroom floor amid pools of blood.
In the course of their investigation, officers discovered additional blood evidence throughout the home, including a pair of blood-stained boots near the back door, as per East Idaho News. On her way to the Custer County Jail, Wetherbee allegedly admitted to the shooting.
Wetherbee was being held on a $25,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 30 for a preliminary hearing. A judge issued a no-contact order on Thursday demanding that she stay away from the victim, according to online records.
Wetherbee reportedly faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
