Lake County District Court news for Mar. 26, 2014
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Judge James A. Manley dealt with the following cases Wednesday, March 19:
Farrah Hameline, 35, Polson, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. An omnibus hearing is set for April 2 and a jury trial is set to begin June 2.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Feb. 13 incident where Hameline was pulled over for a traffic violation and was arrested on an outstanding warrant. After her probation officer authorized a search of her vehicle, a pipe with methamphetamine residue was discovered under her front seat along with two marijuana pipes.
Hameline also admitted to violating conditions of probation and parole, and had her suspended sentence for criminal possession with intent to distribute revoked. Hameline was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for six years with one year suspended.
Jon Wrede, 42, in a change of plea, admitted committing the offenses of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a misdemeanor, and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. The court found Wrede guilty on both counts. Sentencing is set for April 30.
According to court documents, charges stem from a March 14 incident where a tribal police officer saw a red Jeep parked in a location in the Mission Dam area commonly used by juveniles to drink and use drugs. As the officer approached, the Jeep took off at a high rate of speed, but got high centered and stuck on a large rock. The officer ordered Wrede to shut off his vehicle, but because Wrede refused and continued to attempt to flee, the officer deployed his taser. Wrede smelled of alcohol and told the officer he had had a few drinks. Lake County Sheriff’s Officers came and arrested Wrede for a DUI, and a blood test showed his blood alcohol concentration was .018. A warrant was issued to search the vehicle where several items of drug paraphernalia were found. A pipe had methamphetamine residue, and another vial tested positive for buprenorphine, a controlled substance.
Michael Andrew Buck, 45, Ronan, in a change of plea admitted committing the offense of driving under the influence alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, a felony. The court found Buck guilty. Sentencing is set for April 23.
According to court documents, charges stem from a December 2013 incident where an officer pulled Buck over for speeding and crossing the center line. The officer found an open alcoholic beverage container in the vehicle, and Buck provided a breath sample that showed his BAC was .121. Buck had six prior DUI convictions.
Tamera Couture, 55, Polson, in a change of plea admitted committing the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense. The court found Couture guilty.
Couture also admitted to violating conditions of probation and parole, and her suspended sentence for another offense of DUI, fourth or subsequent offense, was revoked. Sentencing for both issues was set for April 23.
According to court documents, most recent charges stem from a November 2013 incident where officers responded to the scene of a crash on Highway 93. Couture was standing outside her vehicle. A witness said she saw Couture’s vehicle travel at a high rate of speed, suddenly cross the centerline and swerve off the road. The witness saw Couture exit the vehicle, and stated no one else was with Couture. Another witness said he came on the crash after it happened, and observed Couture alone outside the vehicle, acting odd, and thought she might be under the influence of something, or having a seizure.
A Montana Highway Patrol trooper found an open alcoholic beverage bottle with a small amount of liquid inside. While being treated by medical personnel, 12 and a half Lortab pills fell out of Couture’s pocket. During an interview at the hospital, Couture told the trooper she had picked up a hitchhiker and let him drive her car, and he must have left the scene of the crash. She refused to provide a breath sample and a blood sample, although the hospital drew blood for medical reasons.
When she was booked in Lake County Jail, an additional 31 Lortab pills were found in her pocket. Couture did not have a prescription for Lortab. Her driving record showed five prior DUIs.
Richard Frank Bleick, 45, Ronan, in a change of plea admitted committing the offense of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. The court found him guilty. Sentencing is set for April 23.
According to court documents, charges stem from a July 2012 incident where a Lake County office responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle on Stinger Road. Although Bleick first lied about his identity, he was correctly identified and arrested on a prior warrant. The officer could see items in the car used to ingest illegal drugs, so after obtaining a search warrant, the officer found a syringe, a marijuana pipe, a pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue, a plastic bag with a white powder, and five pills, three of which were suspected to be hydrocodone.
Ronald Long, 58, Polson, in a change of plea admitted committing the offense of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, fourth or subsequent offense, a felony. The court found Long guilty. Sentencing is set for May 7.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Sept. 6 incident where a Montana State Trooper responded to a report of a possible drunken driver who left Subway in Ronan and was heading north on Highway 93.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following case Thursday, March 20:
Andrew Jackson, Ronan, pleaded no contest to a charge of issuing a bad check, a felony. The court accepted the plea and found Jackson guilty. Sentencing is set for May 8 at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 2012 incident where Jackson wrote a check in the amount of $18,000 to a party, but the check was returned because the account had been closed. The party’s lawyer sent a letter to Jackson informing Jackson that charges would be filed if Jackson did not pay the full amount. Jackson agreed to pay $500 per week until the balance was paid in full, but after paying $6,050, Jackson stopped making payments.
