Latest news with #FlatheadCounty
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Yahoo
Allegedly ransacking a helicopter earns Kalispell man a pair of felony charges
Jul. 9—A Kalispell man accused of ransacking a helicopter in June allegedly said he thought it was headed to the scrapyard. Darin Darold Zick, 53, faces felony counts of criminal mischief and attempted theft in Flathead County District Court following his June 20 arrest at the Kalispell City Airport. Zick, who remains behind bars with bail set at $75,000, pleaded not guilty before Judge Danni Coffman at his June 30 arraignment. Coffman set a pretrial hearing in the case for Aug. 8. Kalispell Police officers arrested Zick after the helicopter's captain arrived at the airport to find the rotorcraft in disarray, according to court documents. The rear hatch was jettisoned and gear was scattered on the ground. A man, later identified as Zick, sat down nearby as employees of the firm that owned the helicopter approached, court documents said. Confronted, Zick allegedly told the crew that he thought the rotorcraft was being scrapped. When asked about the items from inside the helicopter left strewn about, Zick claimed them as his and restated his belief that the chopper was destined for the scrapyard, court documents said. Surveillance footage turned over to investigators captured Zick approach and then climb on top of the helicopter, court documents said. It later shows him allegedly getting inside the rotorcraft where he stayed for about two hours. The crew estimated the value of the items pulled out of the chopper at more than $30,000. The captain told investigators that they found damage to the interior of the helicopter as well, including the loss of equipment necessary to fly it. Damage to the rotorcraft was estimated at more than $1,500, court documents said. The loss to the company that owns the helicopter was likely much more, though. The captain said that the firm is contracting with the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to fight wildfires and is on a $30,000 a day retainer. Knocking the helicopter out of commission for days posed a potential "significant loss of revenue," court documents said. Both felony charges are punishable by a 10-year stint in Montana State Prison. Criminal mischief comes with a maximum $50,000 fine while attempted theft carries a fine of up to $10,000. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Yahoo
Kalispell man charged in deadly 2023 wreck
Jul. 9—Prosecutors have charged a Kalispell man with vehicular homicide while under the influence in connection with a deadly November 2023 wreck near Columbia Falls. Tyrel Lee Eaton, 36, is expected to appear before Judge Paul Sullivan in Flathead County District Court on July 17 for his arraignment on the felony charge. He remains in the county jail with bail set at $250,000. Eaton allegedly claimed he was a passenger in the Subaru Impreza, which shot off the pavement just north of where Halfmoon Road crosses railroad tracks, but investigators believe he was behind the wheel based on evidence collected at the scene. When Montana Highway Patrol troopers arrived at the crash about 12:06 a.m., Nov. 1, 2023, they found the Impreza's two occupants outside the vehicle, court documents said. One, a 53-year-old man, was declared dead at the scene. The other, identified as Eaton, was being treated for his injuries. A witness to the aftermath of the wreck told troopers that both men were outside the vehicle when he arrived. Eaton, who he described as smelling of alcohol, allegedly identified the dead man as the driver. Investigators believe that the Impreza — registered to Eaton — was heading northbound when it failed to negotiate a curve in the road by the railroad crossing, court documents said. After crossing the centerline and leaving the pavement, the vehicle went down a steep embankment and collided with several trees. It eventually hit the bottom of the embankment. Evidence indicated that the passenger was partially ejected, court documents said. Authorities found blood on the passenger side of the windshield and on the passenger side of the hood. Both airbags deployed in the crash, but there was significantly more blood on the driver's side, according to court documents. Analysis of the blood collected from the driver's side airbag showed that it came from Eaton, court documents alleged. Investigators also analyzed the blood found on the passenger side windshield and hood, linking it to the dead man, court documents said. Troopers later spoke with employees of a nearby bar and learned that both Eaton and the other man drank there until they left about midnight Oct. 1, court documents said. A blood sample taken from Eaton while he received treatment at a Logan Health facility showed his blood alcohol content at 0.173, according to court documents. Vehicular homicide while under the influence is punishable by up to 30 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@ Tyrel Lee Eaton. (Photo courtesy the Flathead County Sheriff's Office)
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
K-9 nabs accused drug dealer after high-speed dash through Kalispell
Jul. 4—A K-9 snapped up an accused drug dealer in the country illegally last week after the man led Flathead County Sheriff's Office deputies on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood. Prosecutors charged Baldemar Duarte-Nieto with felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor fleeing or eluding a peace officer. Held in the county jail with bail set at $100,000, Duarte-Nieto is expected to appear before Judge Dan Wilson in Flathead County District Court on July 10 for his arraignment. Deputies began chasing Duarte-Nieto on June 26 after receiving a tip from federal authorities about a known drug offender in the area. Duarte-Nieto has an active warrant out of Washington for trafficking heroin as well as a federal immigration violation for re-entering the country after he was previously deported, according to court documents. A deputy spotted Duarte-Nieto traveling southbound on the U.S. 93 Bypass near Four Mile Drive at about 3:45 p.m. The deputy followed Duarte-Nieto to the roundabout at the Foys Lake Road exit, where another patrol car was situated to block him. Duarte-Nieto initially stopped his car but turned and took off eastbound on South Meridian Road after a deputy attempted to approach his vehicle, court documents said. In his flight, he allegedly hit speeds of up to 80 mph. One deputy hopped back in his vehicle and pursued Duarte-Nieto as he skirted onto Fifth Street West. Duarte-Nieto allegedly slammed into a tree and the side of a car parked in the driveway of a nearby house before fleeing his vehicle on foot. Four people were in the parked car at the time of the collision, court documents said. It is unclear whether any of them sustained injuries. As Duarte-Nieto allegedly dashed for a nearby fence, the deputy signaled their dog to give chase. The dog nabbed Duarte-Nieto's right foot as he attempted to scale the fence, first sinking its teeth into his shoe before redirecting a second bite to the man's calf. The deputy reported that Duarte-Nieto looked back at the dog and smiled. If convicted, Duarte-Nieto faces up to 10 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine for criminal endangerment and up to one year and a $2,000 fine for fleeing from or eluding a peace officer. Duarte-Nieto has a federal immigration warrant for deportation under the Laken Riley Act, according to court documents. Reporter Hailey Smalley may be reached at 758-4433 or hsmalley@
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
Man allegedly threatens cops, judge after making mess in Kalispell park
Jul. 4—Confronted for making a mess in a Kalispell public park in mid-June, a man sought sanctuary in a nearby bar before allegedly threatening police officers and a municipal judge. Prosecutors brought Jeremy Allen Higgins, 47, up on a slew of charges in Flathead County District Court following his June 12 run-in with Kalispell Police officers at Woodland Park. He is expected to appear before Judge Paul Sullivan on July 17 for his arraignment on a felony count of threats in official matters and misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, obstructing a peace officer and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. Officers summoned to the park about 9:30 p.m. for a man allegedly yelling at a woman and throwing trash around met up with Flathead County Sheriff's Office deputies already on scene, according to court documents. The deputies said the woman had left and the man, identified as Higgins, was going to clean up the mess. But Higgins took off on a bicycle, court documents said. Following along behind, the officers hit their emergency lights and directed Higgins, via loudspeaker, to stop. Higgins allegedly peddled faster. Making his way to a nearby bar, the 47-year-old ditched the bicycle and ducked inside, court documents said. Once ensconced in a bathroom stall, he allegedly refused to leave, saying he was defecating. Eventually, Higgins emerged from the stall and officers handcuffed him. He told the authorities he did not see the police vehicle following him with its emergency lights activated or hear any of the instructions issued over loudspeaker, court documents said. As Higgins cursed and yelled, officers searched him and found a hypodermic needle and glass bulb pipe adorned with brown residue, according to court documents. Investigators also learned that Higgins was banned from the park as part of a condition of his release on a case pending in Kalispell Municipal Court. Higgins allegedly became increasingly irate as officers put him in the back of a patrol vehicle, court documents said. Saying he owned guns, Higgins allegedly threatened to kill an officer's family. He also threatened to "put one" in the head of a municipal court judge, court documents alleged. Higgins allegedly told the officers he would direct "criminal friends and drug dealers" to target law enforcement. He underscored it by saying, "Now that is a threat," according to court documents. During the subsequent ride to the county jail, Higgins repeatedly yelled out a racial slur, court documents said. Higgins' history in the court system includes an assault with a weapon charge filed against him in 2022. He pleaded not guilty to the felony and the case was dismissed in June 2023. If convicted of the most serious charge, threats in official matters, Higgins faces up to 10 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Yahoo
Woman charged in deadly New Year's Day wreck near Bigfork
Jun. 25—Prosecutors last week charged the surviving motorist of a deadly and allegedly alcohol-fueled New Year's Day wreck near Bigfork with vehicular homicide while under the influence. Kala R. Knaus, 31, is expected to appear before Judge Dan Wilson in Flathead County District Court on July 10 for her arraignment on the felony charge. Booked into the county jail on June 19, Knaus remains behind bars with bail set at $250,000. Authorities descended upon the site of the wreck, near the intersection of Montana 35 and Holt Drive, about 1:25 a.m., Jan. 1, according to court documents. They found a dead woman behind the wheel of a heavily damaged red Kia Rio, which was left on its driver's side roughly 10 feet west of the highway. Knaus, who was behind the wheel of a Subaru Forester, was conscious and allegedly belligerent. A toxicology sample taken from Knaus at a hospital later showed her blood alcohol content at 0.188 or more than twice the legal limit, court documents said. She also allegedly tested positive for the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, an antidepressant and an antihistamine sleep aid. Investigators later determined that Knaus' Subaru was heading northbound on Montana 35 when she allegedly crossed the center line and headed into the southbound lane where it struck the Kia. The crash sent the Subaru spinning counterclockwise and later off the road, court documents said. The Kia continued south after the collision before running of the west side of the road and rolling. The Kia's driver died of blunt force trauma from the wreck, court documents said. If convicted, Knaus faces up to 30 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
