Lake County District Court news for June 17, 2010
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Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases June 9, 2010:
Francine Faye VanMaanen, 58, Ronan, was committed to the Department of Corrections for placement in an appropriate correctional facility or program for 13 months for felony DUI-fourth or subsequent offense. In addition, she was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years with all suspended.
For felony criminal endangerment, she was committed to the Department of Corrections for five years with all suspended. All sentences are to run consecutively.
According to court records the sentences stem from a Feb. 7 early morning incident when a Flathead Tribal Police Officer was patrolling on U.S. Highway 93 near Pablo when he noticed a vehicle pull out in front of him from Old Highway 93. The vehicle was sighted going 80 mph in a 65 mph zone and was weaving within its lane of traffic, crossing the fog line and centerline.
The driver, identified as VanMaanen, was pulled over and while speaking with her, the officer noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from her breath as well as slow and slurred speech. VanMaanan refused to provide a breath sample and to perform any field sobriety testing.
During booking at the jail, she further refused any tests even though her probation officer told her that she was required to provide a breath sample under her probationary rules. VanMaanan’s driving recorded showed that she has at least three prior DUI convictions.
Vincent Joseph Curley, 30, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to felonies assault with weapon and criminal endangerment
According to court documents, the charges stem from an April 18 incident when police responded to Curley’s home on a report of domestic assault. At the home, police interviewed a woman who claimed Curley was coming off of a drug-induced high and was paranoid that someone was in the attic. The woman refused to go in the attic to look, so Curley retrieved a pistol and kept cocking it over and over again.
She also told police that Curley had thrown her around the residence. The officer noted that she had red marks on her neck and chest.
Sheldon Haynes, 21, Arlee, pleaded not guilty to felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. An omnibus hearing was scheduled for July 14 at 9 a.m.
According to court records, a witness called police stating that four people had gotten into a fight in a parking lot and one of the individuals, who’d been driving a red Ford pickup, pulled out a knife to threaten the other people. The witness stated that two people left in the red pickup and the other two left in a white pickup.
Shortly afterward, a woman called the police saying she’d been beaten up and stabbed in a parking lot. While this woman went to the hospital, Haynes reported at the Tribal Police office that she been jumped in the parking lot.
Police interviewed the witness at the hospital with the woman who also called police. The woman was treated for multiple stab wounds and the witness said the woman was attacked in a parking lot.
Haynes claimed she’d been assaulted by the woman in the parking lot, but denied using a knife in the altercation. After being confronted with the evidence against her, she later admitted to having a knife, which she’d thrown out of her truck.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases June 10, 2010:
Gyme Alan Kelly, 54, Polson, pleaded not guilty to felony assault with a weapon and a trial was set for June 15.
According to court records, the charge stems from a May 1 incident when police responded to a report of a male with a gun pulling another male out of a vehicle at a hotel in Polson. After pulling over the car that matched the description, the driver said the had been driving around with Kelly when Kelly pulled out a gun and held it to the driver’s head. The driver then pulled over, wrestled the gun from Kelly then got out, went around the vehicle and pulled him out of the passenger seat. After getting Kelly out of the car, the driver then got back in the car and drove off.
When police located Kelly, they noted that his speech was slurred, he was unsteady on his feet, his eyes were bloodshot and he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath.
Police also noted that the gun in question was a pellet gun with the side grips removed from the handle.
Carlos Hernandez, 19, Pablo, pleaded not guilty to felonies burglary and criminal mischief. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, July 15.
According to court records, the charges stem from a May 8 early-morning incident when an SKC campus security guard noticed Hernandez leaving Joe’s Jiffy Stop carrying three cases of beer. At that time, the store was not open for regular business hours. Hernandez stashed the beer behind a building 20 yards away and then returned to the store. The security guard then intercepted and detained Hernandez as he was leaving the store with a second armful of merchandise.
Deputies later met the manager of the store at the scene and observed that the front doors - large double-paned glass doors - had been smashed. A large rock was resting next to the frame of the rear door, which had also been smashed. Damage to the doors exceeds $1,500.
Justin Christopher Teigen, 29, St. Ignatius, had a previously suspended sentence revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years with two years suspended.
The revoked sentence from April 2006 originally committed Teigen to Montana State Prison for five years with all suspended but 90 days at the Lake County Jail for felony fraudulently obtaining dangerous drugs.
Keith Charles Harrison, 22, Ronan, admitted to two counts of felony theft and four counts of misdemeanor theft. He was found guilty and sentencing is set for July 22.
According to court records the charges stem from July 2009, when a Ronan Police Officer responded to a burglary report. The officer met with a woman who stated that she and her family returned from boating to find things out of place and missing from her home. Specifically, two laptop computers, X-Box 360, 30 X-Box games and four controllers with an estimated value of over $1,500.
On July 24, a man contacted the Ronan Police department to report that his son, Harrison, may be in trouble. In an interview with the officer, Smith admitted to entering into the home and taking the computers and X-Box. He then returned the stolen items.
On July 8, a Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a burglary report and spoke with a woman who said someone had entered her home through her bedroom window and approximately 10 guns were missing, valued over $1,500.
On July 26, Harrison was arrested by the Ronan Police on another matter. One of the firearms stolen was found in Harrison’s possession when he was arrested. He admitted to the detective that he had taken the detective that he had taken several firearms.
On July 9, 2009, a Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a burglary report and spoke with a man who said someone had come into his home through the front window and had taken cash and a diamond necklace.
Four days later, a Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a burglary report and spoke with a man who said he had come home from work to find his home ransacked. A laptop computer had been destroyed, and things were thrown on the floor, a screen to a window was cut.
Harrison admitted to the detective in an interview to entering this home.
On Sept. 2, 2009, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a burglary report and spoke with a man who said he had come home to find a window screen removed and the window was open. He said his pistol was missing. He had written down the serial number, make and model on a piece of paper which was also missing.
On Sept. 3, 2009, Harrison was arrested on another matter and the piece of paper was found in his pocket during booking at the jail. Harrison admitted to steeling the gun from this home.
On Sept. 2, 2009, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a burglary report and spoke with a man who said he was missing a pistol and a mug of change. Harrison admitted he had broken into this home.
On Sept. 2, 2009, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a burglary report and spoke with a woman who said she had a window screen cut and an open window in her basement. Nothing was missing, and Harrison admitted to breaking into this home.
On Sept. 2, 2009, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a burglary report and spoke with a woman who said she had her home broken into but nothing was missing.
The next day, Lake County dispatch received a call of a burglary in progress. Officers responded and found Harrison being restrained by two men. A woman told officers that she heard someone in the home and went downstairs to find an open window in her daughter’s room. She found Harrison hiding in another room, brought him up the stairs and called 911. He then ran outside and two ranch hands were called to help. They held him until officers arrived.
Harrison spoke with a detective and admitted to the burglaries he had committed. He drove with the detective and pointed out the houses he had broken into, pointing out two other homes that had not been reported of, but when contacted, they stated that they had windows open and things were messed up inside, and one reported of loose change missing.
