BOISE COUNTY, ID – A Boise County commissioner is facing a lawsuit accusing him of threatening a mother at knifepoint and stabbing her teenage daughter during a confrontation along a popular stretch of river north of Horseshoe Bend. The complaint, filed by Abby Beard, alleges Darrell “Lindy” Lindstrom and several others escalated a dispute into violence during an August rafting outing.
According to the lawsuit, Beard and her family had just come off the Main Payette River around 6:55 p.m. when they were approached near a beach recreation area by Lindstrom’s son-in-law, Lloyd Asher, and a group of men. The filing claims the group acted “aggressively,” asked “who wanted to fight,” and shoved members of the family, pushing Beard to the ground and her daughter into the water.
Allegations of threats and escalation
The complaint states that Asher and another unidentified man told the family “that they were going to kill them.” It further alleges the men left briefly, then returned within minutes with Lindstrom and others, “seeking a confrontation” and asking who was “gonna get it.”
“In fear of her life and to protect her children, Abby went to her raft and retrieved her river safety knife, inside its sheath,” the complaint states. “Abby then demanded that the unidentified adult male and Asher leave the area, ordering them [to] leave her children alone.”
The lawsuit alleges Lindstrom then intervened physically. “Lindstrom grabbed Abby and forced her to the ground and attempted to wrestle the knife away from her, by then the knife was back in the sheath,” the complaint says. It further claims Lindstrom took control of the knife and “held it to her throat stating, ‘I will f—ing kill you b—.’”
When Beard’s 17-year-old daughter, identified as T.B., tried to intervene, the complaint alleges Lindstrom stabbed her. “Defendant Lindstrom stabbed T.B. in the leg and threw the knife in the river,” the filing states. The injury is described as a “large slash mark” near the knee that went “deep into the muscle,” along with a hand injury sustained while trying to disarm him.
Family claims serious injuries, ongoing investigation
The complaint also accuses another defendant, Bo Fisher, of attacking a family member, Treyson Beard, “punching him in the back of the head” and “beating him,” resulting in “severe facial and dental injuries that required medical and dental attention.”
Abby Beard is also alleged to have suffered puncture wounds during the altercation. “Lindstrom eventually got off Abby and as she stood up, she saw Treyson was extremely bloody,” the document states. “Abby immediately learned that T.B. had been stabbed by a knife.”
The Beards’ attorney, Terri Pickens, said in a statement, “It is unfortunate that an elected official felt so comfortable engaging in the conduct as alleged (and will be proven) in the complaint.” Pickens added, “Because of unexplained delays by law enforcement, my clients had no choice but to initiate a civil action for recovery of damages that resulted from the attacks on them.”
The Boise County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed there is an active investigation into the incident.
Lindstrom denied the allegations when reached, telling Law&Crime, “The allegations are completely insane. All I can say is I’m innocent.” He also said, at the request of his lawyer, there is “nothing” he can say about the specifics of the case.
Asher did not comment, and Fisher could not be reached.
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