Man pleads guilty to charges related to October 2020 ‘road rage’ shooting in northeast Spokane

The man accused of shooting at another vehicle after a confrontation with a motorist near Gonzaga University in October 2020 pleaded guilty to felony second-degree assault last month.

Christian M. Tiedeman, 26, was sentenced to more than seven years in prison in early February.

Tiedeman shot at a vehicle on Sharp Avenue near Standard Street after stopping to exchange words with its driver, the Spokane Police Department said. The victim was uninjured and told police the confrontation began on North Ruby Street.

Then Tiedeman, driving a black Nissan Titan with Idaho license plates, pulled up beside the victim on Sharp Avenue and shot at the car.

After discovering a pickup truck matching that description had been stolen, police tracked down the vehicle and arrested Tiedeman.

He was initially charged with first-degree assault and drive-by shooting. He pleaded guilty to the single charge of second-degree assault on Feb. 2. He was sentenced to 75 months in prison for the assault, with an additional 12 months because the crime was committed with a deadly weapon.

Tiedeman has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple felonies, dating back to 2012 in both Stevens and Spokane counties.