MISSOULA - It wasn't a real gun, but it landed a teenager in jail and scared a lot of people in Missoula on Friday afternoon.

Missoula police rushed to the parking lot behind Sears at Southgate Mall when two people called to say that a man was waving a pistol at cars - and one of the callers even heard a popping sound.

Once the suspect pulled into the parking lot, police went into action and quickly detained two other people who were with the suspect.

But when confronted, Missoula Police Sergeant James Caton says a 19-year-old Livingston boy then ran from police toward the mall.

He quickly surrendered and it turns out that the pistol was actually an airsoft gun.

The teen still faces charges of felony assault with a weapon and obstructing a peace officer.

The two other people in the vehicle with him at the time of the alleged incident cooperated with police and were not arrested.

 

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The Montana Board of Regents voted to freeze in-state tuition for four year and two year schools during a Friday meeting.

Board members also voted to increase non-resident tuition at the 4 year institutions by 3% each year of the biennium.

The Montana Legislature provided enough money for the University System allowing the Board to freeze tuition during the last legislative session.

Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian says it's a historic moment for the Montana University System.

He says in light of what the rest of the nation is facing Montana is bucking the trend and able to keep tuition low for Montana students.

The only school which will see an increase in their resident tuition is Miles City Community College.

 

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Ballots will be mailed to residents on June 10th and must be submitted on June 25th by 8 p.m. to the Cascade County Elections office.

The District is asking for $981,748; according to the MT Office of Public Instruction, the levy would cost the average homeowner approximately $12.11 per year on a home's taxable market value of $100,000.

The GFPS website offers a calculator to determine how much a specific homeowner would pay.

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GREAT FALLS - The Montana Department of Transportation says each of Montana's 5,120 bridges are inspected at least every two years, and all of them are then given a category.

Of the 229 bridges in Cascade County, three are considered structurally deficient and 33 are functionally obsolete.

But those terms don't necessarily mean the bridge is unsafe.

"Structurally deficient" is defined as a bridge with some of its key elements in poor condition, which needs close monitoring.

"Functionally obsolete" means the design of the bridge may have narrow lanes or shoulders, or doesn't have enough vertical clearance to let some trucks pass.

According to a study done by the coalition group Transportation For America, Cascade County ranks as one of the top counties in the state for best bridge conditions since only 1.6% of its bridges are structurally deficient. Chouteau, Liberty, and Toole Counties each have no structurally deficient bridges.

In Fallon County, 12 of its 44 bridges, or 27.3%, are structurally deficient. This makes it the county with the most of its total bridges structurally deficient.

Beaverhead County has the most structurally deficient bridges: 42 of its 214 bridges.

LINKS:

Infrastructure report card

The State of Montana's Bridges (PDF)

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Top stories on KRTV for the evening of Friday, May 24, 2013:

- Bridges: Washington officials are blaming a semi truck for causing the main bridge between Seattle and Vancouver to collapse on Thursday. The truck reportedly hit a support girder, and two cars plunged into the Skagit River. No one was killed, but it does raise the question of how other bridges fare. Reporter Tara Grimes looks at how these structures are inspected and how Cascade County bridges are holding up.

- Tuition: The Montana Board of Regents voted to freeze in-state tuition for both four-year and two-year schools. The only exception is Miles City Community College where resident tuition will increase. Non-residents will see tuition go up by 3% a year at all of Montana's four-year institutions.

- School Levy: The Great Falls Public School Board of Trustees has approved a levy to be brought before the voters next month. Reporter Jen Fenter takes a look at how this taxpayer money would be used.

- Self-Defense: The shooting death of burglary suspect Henry Thomas Johnson at a home near Helena on Canyon Ferry Road has some people wanting to know more about the "Castle Doctrine" law in Montana. Reporter Melissa Anderson talks with Lewis & Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton and the lawmaker who sponsored the bill. Click here to read more.

- MDT: The Montana Department of Transportation is weighing the pros and cons of putting weapons in the hands of about 30 transportation workers who check the weights and sizes of semi trucks and other large vehicles.

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GREAT FALLS - The Pacific Steel & Recycling Trailside Dog Park has re-opened following several weeks of maintenance.

A press release from the City of Great Falls says that the relatively warm and dry winter created heavy use of the park, causing considerable turf damage.

The City of Great Falls and the Animal Foundation of Great Falls determined that the best course of action was to close the park starting Monday, April 15 in order to repair the turf damage.

During the closure, the park was aerated, fertilized, and reseeded.

Officials say that the turf is looking much better now, but note that it will take a few weeks of warm weather for the seed to germinate and begin filling in the bare spots.

The dog park is located at 800 River Drive North.

Click here to learn more about the dog park.

 

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HELENA - The investigation continues into the shooting death of Henry Thomas Johnson III, who was killed by homeowner James Stiffler in the Helena Valley on Wednesday.

Johnson was shot once in the chest after he was found in the home on Canyon Ferry Road allegedly trying to burglarize it.

The incident has some people wanting to know more about the "Castle Doctrine" in Montana.

Under Montana law, you as a citizen have the right to protect yourself, and it doesn't have to be in your home, and you can use anything: a gun, a knife, or even pepper spray.

MT State Representative Krayton Kerns of Laurel said, "You are your castle, and wherever you can legally be, you have the fundamental right of self-defense. And so the fact that this occurred in this individual's house, it could've easily happened out in the alfalfa field or the pasture behind the house."

In 2009 Montana joined more than 20 other states in passing broad self-defense measures backed by the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights groups.

Under the law, a person can brandish a gun to ward off a threat. An individual does not have to flee or call the police before engaging in self-defense.

Lewis & Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton noted, "But when it comes down to protecting your life, protecting your life in your property, not just that somebody's going to take your property. You can't be shooting people just because they're going to steal a mixer or something. There are things that a reasonable man would look and go that's not reasonable." 

The sponsor of the legislation says unlike the past, the "Castle Doctrine" places the burden of responsibility on the state for proving self-defense.

Kerns said, "It shouldn't be a novel concept in this country that you are innocent until proven guilty, yet that's how we treated self-defense claims in the past."

But Kerns warns that doesn't mean you can unjustly make the decision: "Keep in mind, you also have to justify your actions before God, so let's all think this through." reminded Kerns.

Montana Code states:

45-3-103. Use of force in defense of occupied structure.

(1) A person is justified in the use of force or threat to use force against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that the use of force is necessary to prevent or terminate the other person's unlawful entry into or attack upon an occupied structure.

(2) A person justified in the use of force pursuant to subsection (1) is justified in the use of force likely to cause death or serious bodily harm only if:

(a) the entry is made or attempted and the person reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent an assault upon the person or another then in the occupied structure; or

(b) the person reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent the commission of a forcible felony in the occupied structure.

45-3-110. No duty to summon help or flee. Except as provided in 45-3-105, a person who is lawfully in a place or location and who is threatened with bodily injury or loss of life has no duty to retreat from a threat or summon law enforcement assistance prior to using force. The provisions of this section apply to a person offering evidence of justifiable use of force under 45-3-102, 45-3-103, or 45-3-104.

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One person has died and another was injured in a three-vehicle collision between Arlee and Ravalli.

The crash happened on Highway 93 near mile marker 21.

The Montana Highway Patrol reports that one person died in the crash, one person was taken to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula with minor injuries, and a third person escaped without injury.

Through traffic was shut down for more than two hours.

Authorities have not yet released any names, the cause of the crash, or any other information.

 

 

(UPDATE, 7:20 pm) Authorities say a 72-year-old Arlee woman has died after a three-vehicle accident on Friday afternoon north of Arlee on U.S. Highway 93.

Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Terrence Rosenbaum tells us the crash happened near the intersection of Lamoose Lane at around 2:45 p.m.

Rosenbaum reports that eyewitnesses said they saw the woman's Cadillac was heading south when the vehicle drifted through a turn lane and two oncoming northbound lanes before colliding head-on with a semi truck.

Debris from the collision struck another vehicle that was following the Cadillac.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene while the semi truck driver was taken to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula with what Rosenbaum described as minor injuries. The three people in the third vehicle were not hurt in the crash.

Rosenbaum says alcohol and speed do not appear to be factors at this time, and witnesses said the Cadillac's turn signal and brake lights were never engaged before the crash.

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A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office says that at trial, the following evidence and testimony was presented to the jury:

The North American Indian Days is a time for celebration on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Friends gather, eat, enjoy the warm summer days, and vendors attend to display their skills and products in order to generate income off the attendees. A tremendous amount of money is generated during the celebration.

Spoonhunter used her position in the Blackfeet Tribe to steal money from individuals who tried to reserve spots for vendor sites at the North American Indian Days.

When the vendors arrived, their spots had not been reserved, and their payments to Spoonhunter had not been turned over to the Tribe.

As a result, vendors were required to double-pay or move their reserved spots to an undesirable location at the North American Indian Days.

Payments made to individuals other than Spoonhunter had no problem.

The amount Spoonhunter is accountable for was approximately $8,000.

For each of the three counts, Spoonhunter faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

Sentencing is set for August 28, 2013.

Spoonhunter is currently released on special conditions.

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Organizers of the Big Sky Honor Flight work to see that every Montana veteran of World War II gets a chance to see their memorial in the nation's capital.

While many veterans face health issues that make the trip seem restrictive, the Honor Flight crew makes it easier, and more affordable, than may think.

Becky Hillier, a spokewoman for the organization, noted, "This is an experience that all of those veterans have a right to experience. This is the trip of a lifetime for them."

Veterans with medical concerns can rest assured they'll be in good hands; Hillier explained, "If they have a respiratory problem, we have a respiratory therapist that comes along. We have a medical doctor who comes along on the flight. We really go to great lengths to try to accommodate them."

In fact, an eight-person medical team makes the 36-hour trip which also features stops at the Lincoln and FDR Memorials.

The trips are funded through private donations and are provided at no cost to veterans.

Hillier said, "Every single vet that I've heard that said, 'I don't know if I want to go, I don't know if I can make this trip,' I've checked in with them at the end of the trip and they are over the moon and so glad that they actually did it."

Donald David, a veteran from Butte, said, "I've had some friends who were here on this Honor Flight. And they said how wonderful it was. So I was pretty excited about it."

Another flight scheduled for June is full, but seats remain on the September flight.

Hillier said, "If you want to go on this flight do not delay. Please get in your application as soon as possible. Because once we fly the last person on that list, we're done flying and there will be no more Big Sky Honor Flights for the World War II veterans."

Click here to learn more at the Big Sky Honor Flight website.

 

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The agency confirms it's weighing the pros and cons of putting weapons in the hands of about 30 transportation workers who check the weights and sizes of semi trucks and other large vehicles.

MDT has not yet made a decision about whether or not they will proceed with arming its staff.

However, the Motor Carriers of Montana, which represents truck drivers all over the state, is adamantly opposed to the officers carrying guns.

Executive vice president Barry Stang says there is no reason for it: "Right now if there is a confrontation between an officer and a driver it's usually a war of words and it doesn't escalate to the point where somebody pulls a gun."

"If you give those officers weapons, some of those drivers will say 'they got guns, we want guns,' " Stang says. "And frankly, the policy of most trucking companies is that they prohibit weapons in their vehicles."

Stang says he believes the agency will need Legislative approval to arm their workers. However, the agency hasn't said whether or not that's the case.

Stang said he had heard the agency might be considering this policy so he polled his truck drivers and he says 97% of his members were opposed to the arming of MDT officers.

 

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HELENA - A Billings woman was arrested in the early morning hours of Friday near the Capitol after knocking on the locked doors and asking to speak to the governor about the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

It was around 2:30 a.m. when police responded to the Capitol building.

It was also around then that they got calls about a woman matching the same description that was waving a sign on Eleventh Avenue in the middle of the street, where traffic had to dodge her.

Helena Police Chief Troy McGee said she then made her way back up toward the Capitol building.

Capitol security believed the 34-year-old woman may have been drinking.

"She had a sign that she had been holding up that had 'Santa Claus' on it. I'm not sure exactly what that was about, and she had tried to hit the security officer with the sign. The officers talked to her and they did arrest her for disorderly (conduct) and also assault," said McGee.

The two charges are both misdemeanors.

The Capitol building is staffed by security guards 24 hours a day.

 

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The Great Falls Farmer's Market will kick off the 2013 season on Saturday, June 1st.

The market will be open every Saturday from 7:45 a.m. until noon through September 28th in downtown Great Falls.

The weekday market will begin on Wednesday, July 10th, and be held every Wednesday from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. through September 25th.

Click here to visit the website, or here to visit the Facebook page.

The website states: 

Today the Great Falls Original Farmer's Market boasts that it is the largest farmer's market in Montana with 135-160 vendors every Saturday and, based on visitor comments, also claims to be the best farmer's market in the country. And the Market isn't just about fresh veggies anymore. It has grown into the biggest family-friendly social event in Great Falls. People come from all over the world to visit our Market with its wide variety of products.

There are unique handcrafted items of all kinds, baked goods, jams, jellies, and syrups for every taste bud, ready-to-eat foods including fry bread, crepes, Chinese food, porkies-on-a-stick, and more for patrons to enjoy while they shop, entertainers of all ages scattered around the Market, featured entertainment in Whittier Park, pony rides for the kids, and prizes at every Market.

 

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GREAT FALLS - The area surrounding the federal courthouse in Great Falls was blocked off for while on Friday afternoon as police investigated a reported suspicious item.

Police received the report of a suspicious briefcase near a sign just after noon.

They blocked off a small area for precautionary reasons, causing some traffic slow-downs in the area, including westbound traffic on the Central Avenue West bridge.

Police tell us that the briefcase was empty and appeared to have been out there for some time.

The area was re-opened within about 30 minutes.

(First Report, 12:29 pm) Several law enforcement agencies are outside the federal courthouse building in Great Falls.

Westbound traffic on the Central Avenue West (1st Avenue North) bridge has been slowed due to the activity.

At least five law enforcement vehicles are parked alongside the north side of the bridge.

We do not yet know what they are investigating; we have dispatched a reporter to find out, and will update you when we learn more.

 

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GREAT FALLS - After several years of hard work, a non-profit will open its garden to the community on Saturday, May 25th.

Sunburst Unlimited created the Westside Orchard Garden to help battle hunger in Great Falls.

Inside the park, volunteers have already planted several produce items as well as a variety of trees; they hope to add carrots, strawberries, and squash.

The majority of the produce will go to the Great Falls Community Food Bank.

Mike Dalton, the supervisor of the project, said, "Ultimately what will come out of this will be inspiration to go elsewhere in the city and develop two or three more of these gardens over the next two or three years so that we'll be more completely sustaining our community and making sure our kids have enough fresh food to eat."

The garden is located at 400 16th Street SW.

Saturday's grand opening ceremony will include lessons on how to create raised beds and vertical beds, and an exhibit on a water catchment system.

Visitors will get a chance to plant sunflowers and kids can help in the carrot department.

The event is free and runs from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

 

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BOZEMAN - Matthew Brandemihl is being held in the Gallatin County jail on $100,000 bond after allegedly stealing three cars, breaking into a house, and then leading police on a chase across two counties and into the mountains near Pony, where he eventually surrendered.

Brandemihl, 31, appeared before Gallatin County Justice Court Judge Bryan Adams on Friday morning, charged with three counts of felony theft, one count of felony burglary, and one count of felony criminal endangerment.

The day-long chase began at around 7:55 a.m. on Thursday, May 23, when the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office got a call that a vehicle had been stolen from Hulbert Road West. The suspect was described as a man around 30 years old with shaggy collar-length blond hair, wearing jeans and a black shirt and appearing to have a leg injury. The caller said his wife saw the man approach the house, ring the doorbell then drive away in their 2006 blue Chevy Silverado, court papers state.

A deputy found the truck at around 8:36 a.m. on Rocky Mountain Road, but the driver fled, leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of up to 100 miles per hour along gravel roads, court papers state.

Brandemihl reportedly drove the vehicle into a ravine behind a residence on Sherman Drive then broke into the home, took a woman's phone and four bottles of beer then drove her Ford Explorer through the closed garage door.

Montana Highway Patrol troopers began pursuing Brandemihl again. He led them through the county, driving 95 miles per hour on Frontage Road towards Belgrade, then jumping the railroad tracks, driving through a fence on Interstate 90 where he drove the against traffic before crashing the stolen Explorer into a ditch near Business Hub Drive at around 9:30 a.m., court papers state.

Officers surrounded the area but then found that a resident in the area was missing a GMC truck.

At around 12:11 p.m., dispatchers received a call that the truck was spotted between Pony and Harrison. Law enforcement tracked Brandemihl onto Forest Service land near Pony on foot. Several hours later, he surrendered. He was taken to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital for a leg injury.

In court on Friday morning, Judge Adams noted that Brandemihl was wanted on a warrant for failing to appear on charges stemming from an April 11 crash in which he reportedly left the scene. He was charges in that case with failure to give notice of an accident, operating with expired registration and reckless driving, which he pleaded not guilty to on Friday.

Adams set Brandemihl's bail in the most recent case at $100,000, citing his concern for the safety of the community. A preliminary hearing is set for June 14.

 

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Several law enforcement agencies are outside the federal courthouse building in Great Falls.

Westbound traffic on the Central Avenue West (1st Avenue North) bridge has been slowed due to the activity.

At least five law enforcement vehicles are parked alongside the north side of the bridge.

We do not yet know what they are investigating; we have dispatched a reporter to find out, and will update you when we learn more.

Click here for U.S. Bank Eyecam view.

 

 

(UPDATE, 12:49 pm) Authorities have now left the area and traffic is flowing normally.

We are still trying to find out what happened and will post an update when we do.

 

 

(UPDATE, 4 pm) The area surrounding the federal courthouse in Great Falls was blocked off for while on Friday afternoon received a report of a "suspicious" briefcase near a sign just after noon.

They blocked off a small area for precautionary reasons, causing some traffic slow-downs in the area, including westbound traffic on the Central Avenue West bridge.

Police tell us that the briefcase was empty and appeared to have been out there for some time.

The area was re-opened within about 30 minutes.

 

 

 

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Downtown Great Falls got a few new pops of color this week as the Business Improvement District wrapped up the third phase of its traffic signal box project. 

Local artists were selected to spruce up seven more of the metal boxes to help brighten up the streets of our city center.

This year, all of the boxes were vinyl-wrapped instead of being painted, which was a twist for artists.

Joan Redeen of the Business Improvement District said, "We've had artists who were disappointed that they weren't able to paint, and then we've had artists come along and say, 'What a great idea this, it's much easier!' So you get it both ways."

Nineteen traffic boxes are now completed canvases; two more larger boxes on 2nd Avenue South are left to decorate, and then the project will be finished.

Photos provided by Joan Redeen; click here to see more on the Downtown Great Falls Facebook page.

 

 

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Details are still unfolding in a series of incidents Friday morning near a bar in Worden, northwest of Billings.

According to Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder, Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of suspicious activities in or around an alley near the 406 Bar at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Friday.

After arriving on scene at 2430 Main Street, deputies found a vehicle matching the one detailed in the report.

Linder said the deputies engaged the driver and, at approximately 4:00 a.m., the driver produced a firearm and at least one deputy shot him.

That man was then taken to St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings by LifeFlight helicopter.

Linder said he was not aware of the driver's condition or the extent of his injuries.

No deputies were injured in the shooting.

Linder said while deputies were further investigating the shooting, they discovered a dead body, and that the investigation into that death is being considered a homicide.

The name of the deceased individual has not yet been released.

Linder said he believed the officer-involved shooting and the homicide were related.

We will update you as we learn more.

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The Missoula Police Department has issued a Missing/Endangered Person Advisory for Zachary Morris Strong.

Zachary is a 24-year-old white man, 6'0", 180 pounds, with light brown hair and blue eyes.

He was last seen on Wednesday evening at his home on Pamela Street in Missoula, wearing blue pants and a blue polo shirt.

He has decreased mental capacity and is unable to care for himself.

He is likely traveling on foot.

Aliases: Joshua "Josh" Richardson, Josh Richards, and Taylor Strong.

If you have any information, please call the Missoula Police Department at 406.552.6300.

 

 

UPDATE, Friday afternoon: We're told that Zachary has been found in Missoula and is safe.

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