Lake County District Court news for July 16, 2014
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Judge James A Manley dealt with the following cases on Wednesday, July 9:
Terry Alan Witman, 51, Charlo, in an amended plea agreement, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 13 months. Witman may be released early if he completes a treatment program, and the remainder of the sentence will be served through probation.
Witman was convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, a felony.
According to court documents Witman was stopped by a Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy on March 16 at 11 p.m. on Highway 212. The deputy noticed the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the vehicle. Witman admitted to having drank more than he should have; he said he had consumed four beers at Tiny’s Bar in Charlo. Witman performed poorly on field sobriety tests, and the deputy found marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia in Witman’s coat pocket. Breath tests performed at the Lake County Jail indicated Witman’s blood alcohol level was .147.
Witman has at least three prior convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Christopher John Ochs, 18, pleaded not guilty to charges of felony assault with a weapon, misdemeanor partner/family member assault, misdemeanor possession of dangerous drugs, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to court documents Ochs tried to assault his mother and brother with broken glass that resulted from him spiraling out of control at their home in St. Ignatius on June 21. Ochs has a history of violence against his mother and brother.
In this incidence Ochs was throwing furniture and attempting to get a hold of knives. A Montana Highway Patrol Officer was able to detain Ochs until Flathead Tribal Police and Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived. Ochs admitted to threatening his family members and smoking marijuana.
Lloyd Daryle Twoteeth pleaded not guilty to felony driving under the influence, fourth or subsequent offense.
According to court documents, Montana Highway Patrol and Flathead Tribal Police responded to a hit and run auto collision outside of KwaTaqNuk resort in Polson. The suspect’s vehicle was located, and when the trooper tried to pull it over, a man later identified as Twoteeth extended his arm out the window and extended a middle finger. Twoteeth continued to elude the officer at speeds of 80 and 90 miles per hour in areas where the speed limit was as low as 35 miles per hour. Twoteeth swerved into the oncoming lane as he approached Light Road and eventually returned to Highway 93, where he turned southbound toward Polson. Twoteeth slammed his breaks in an attempt to cause a collision while in the middle of Highway 93.
Twoteeth jumped from the vehicle, approached the trooper in a fighting stance, and threw a beer can at the trooper. Twoteeth charged the trooper after flinging a cigarette at him.
A Flathead Tribal Officer attempted to tase Twoteeth, but it had no effect. The trooper attempted to tase Twoteeth and he pulled the probes out and continued the attack.
The two officers managed to get Twoteeth handcuffed, even as the man continued his aggressive behavior in the middle of a dangerous and busy highway.
Officers found several empty beer cans in Twoteeth’s car. A search warrant for blood was administered and Twoteeth was taken to St. Joe’s Hospital in Polson.
At the hospital Twoteeth stated he had been caught, but was not going back to prison for a third time. Twoteeth told officers he was tired of all the coke, meth and alcohol. He said he had drank enough whiskey to make him dizzy.
Twoteeth has at least three prior DUI convictions.
A trial date is yet to be set.
Jableau Arlee, 35, Arlee, pleaded guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
Sentencing will be held on July 7, 2015. A status conference was set for Nov. 5.
According to court documents Arlee was arrested April 22 for a parole violation. During a search at Lake County Jail in Polson a detention officer found a Ziplock bag with two pieces of cotton inside, and recognized it as an item used to filter drugs.
The cotton tested positive for methamphetamine.
William Ensign, 37, in a change of plea, admitted to committing felony assault with a weapon.
Sentencing was set for Aug. 13.
According to court documents, Ensign’s girlfriend reported an assault to dispatch on June 28, 2013. In an interview with a sheriff’s deputy the girlfriend said that on June 26, 2013, Ensign became angry with her. Ensign chased the girlfriend around the house with a knife, knocked her to the floor, and stabbed the knife into the floor next to her. Ensign repeatedly banged the woman’s head against the floor before she was able to run outside of the residence. Ensign then hit her in the leg with a 2x4 piece of lumber.
The woman was able to escape.
After the incident Ensign sent the woman emails apologizing for his behavior. In the emails he told the woman “I apologize for saying I would kill you,” and “I’m sorry I listened to evil and whacked you with a stick.” Ensign continued to blame the victim in the emails.
Patrick W. Gaude, 26, Pablo, in a change of plea admitted to committing felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
Sentencing was set for Aug. 13 at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, Gaude was the passenger in a vehicle stopped by Flathead Tribal Police on Jan. 1. Gaude told the officers he had a weapon in his possession.
During a pat down search for weapons, the officer found a syringe in Gaude’s waistband with a crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine inside.
A search of the vehicle revealed several more bundles of suspected methamphetamine and a glass pipe under Gaude’s seat.
When Gaude was searched at Lake County Jail a syringe plunger was found in his pants and a glass pipe was found in his shoe.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, July 10:
Roger Cruz, 50, Missoula, pleaded not guilty to felony burglary.
According to court documents charges resulted from a Feb. 13, 2013 incident where a burglary was reported at Jore Corporation in Ronan. A supervisor said that someone had entered a restricted area of the business and cut several phone and computer lines.
The supervisor named Cruz as a suspect, stating that Cruz had been fired the day before and had “blown up” when he was let go.
Security cameras showed Cruz in the restricted area on Feb. 12, 2013 at 8:52 p. m., more than 5 hours after that part of the building was closed.
Cruz moved away and did not meet with Lake County investigators who tried to interview him.
An omnibus hearing was set for Sept. 11. A jury trial was set for Oct. 27.
Michael John Ramirez, 49, Polson, pleaded not guilty to felony criminal child endangerment.
According to court documents Ramirez was stopped at 1:35 a.m. on First Street in Polson, after nearly hitting another vehicle. The investigating Sheriff’s Deputy saw that Ramirez’s eyes were glassy and that he smelled of alcohol. The deputy noticed a young child in the passenger seat who was not wearing a seatbelt and was not secured in a booster seat.
Ramirez refused breath tests. Blood tests at Lake County Jail indicated a .183 blood alcohol level for Ramirez.
An omnibus hearing was set for Sept. 11. A jury trial was set for Oct. 27.
Chaz Creemedicine, 21, received a three-year deferred sentence for felony criminal endangerment, and a three-year deferred sentence for felony theft. The sentences will run consecutively, with one three-year term suspended. Creemedicine must attend boot camp and the Aftercare program. If boot camp is successfully completed, the sentences may be reviewed so they might run concurrently.
According to court documents Creemedicine led officers from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Montana Highway Patrol and Missoula City Police Department on a high-speed chase from Missoula to just north of St. Ignatius on May 29, 2013, at approximately 4:53 p.m. The chase approached speeds of 120 mph at times, and forced cars off the road.
Creemedicine’s vehicle was disabled after he crashed into a ditch on Highway 93 and hit a mailbox.
The vehicle had been stolen from Missoula earlier that day.
Christy Lyne Urban, 27, Polson, pleaded guilty in an Alford plea to criminal possession of dangerous drugs. Sentencing was set for Aug. 14 at 9 a.m.
According to court documents Urban was stopped on Jan. 5, 2013 by a Polson Police officer. An officer located a methamphetamine pipe wrapped in a towel behind the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
The State Crime Lab determined the pipe contained methamphetamine.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following case Thursday, July 10:
Dustin Lee Spottedblanket was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 13 months plus five years, all suspended, for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, fourth or subsequent offense and possession of dangerous drugs, both felonies. The court recommended he be placed in a residential alcohol treatment program.
According to court documents, charges stem from an August 2013 incident where an officer responded to a crash in the Turtle Lake area of Polson. The driver, Spottedblanket, showed signs of intoxication but refused to perform sobriety tests.
A blood draw was administered later although Spottedblanket had to be restrained to have the test taken. A tribal police officer also found a syringe in the vehicle.
