BILLINGS — A new state law is increasing the penalties for people who flee from law enforcement, creating a new offense called aggravated fleeing.
House Bill 503, signed into law by Governor Greg Gianfore, increases the penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony if a person is convicted of fleeing, engages in reckless driving, causes more than $5,000 of property damage, leaves the state, or causes serious bodily injury or death of another person.
Watch this video to learn more about the new law:
Billings Police Sgt. Jeff Stovall said he was glad to see the state increase the potential punishment for these crimes.
"They're fleeing. They're driving recklessly," Stovall said. "And they're putting not only themselves and the officer, but everyone else that's innocent to the situation, they're putting them at a grave danger."
Stovall said that while the punishment has always been applied, he hopes that the potential for felony charges helps keep the roads safer.
"Now, we've added an aggravated felony portion to it," Stovall said. "Ultimately, we hope that people think before they make these actions."
Stovall said he and his department support the law, and these incidents happen often.
Just a few weeks ago, 30-year-old Cameron Watson drove through the Peter Yegen golf course and a front lawn on the Billings West End while evading authorities.
"Anything that we can do to try and deter people from driving this way, we're all for," Stovall said.
It isn't just law enforcement agencies looking forward to the new law.
Billings resident Zane Mccracken's brother Julian Wolf was killed in September of 2024, when he was struck by Jimmy Joe Flanagan as Flanagan fled from Yellowstone County sheriff's deputies.
"I was trying to figure out where he was," Mccracken said Wednesday morning. "Just worry and anger, you know?"
Wolf was thrown from his motorcycle by Flanagan's vehicle, which was traveling in the wrong direction.
"Obviously, when I saw the accident, I knew it was his bike," Mccracken said. "It's rough. Just pushing along every day without it."
Mccracken said it's a nightmare that he's been playing over and over again in his head ever since.
"It's been pretty horrific," Mccracken said. "Honestly, it's pretty hard to just sleep at night."
That's why Mccracken said he likes the new law, hoping it can prevent his reality from happening to someone else.
"It's nice to know that if that does happen again, that there could be a greater charge for it," Mccracken said.
