Hitchhiker writing 'Kindness' book shot in Montana

GLASGOW, Mont. (AP) — A West Virginia man who is hitchhiking across the country and writing a memoir called "The Kindness of America" was injured in a random, drive-by shooting in northeastern Montana, according to authorities.

Valley County Sheriff Glen Meier said Raymond Dolin, 39, was sitting on the side of U.S. Highway 2 west of Glasgow waiting for a ride at about 6 p.m. Saturday when a man drove up in a maroon pickup, rolled down his window, shot him and drove off.

Dolin flagged down a passer-by and was taken to the hospital in Glasgow with non-life threatening injuries. Hospital officials did not immediately return a phone call Monday seeking an update on his condition.

Dolin said the shooter headed west, but officers learned he asked someone for directions and turned around and headed east on his way to Williston, N.D.

The suspected shooter — 52-year-old Charles Lloyd Danielson III — was arrested in Culbertson, about 100 miles east of Glasgow, about four hours after the shooting.

Meier said it appears Danielson is from Washington state and was on his way to North Dakota to look for work. He said there did not appear to be any connection between Dolin and Danielson.

"It's totally random," he said. "These two gentlemen did not know each other. They'd never seen each other and we don't know of a motive. We don't know why this happened."

Meier says Danielson was jailed in Roosevelt County on suspicion of felony assault with a weapon and driving under the influence and was expected to appear in court Monday.

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