courts Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal
St. Ignatius woman faces child abuse charges POLSON — A St. Ignatius woman is accused of abusing her children while traveling across Montana. Kailee Marie Lindquist, 26, entered a plea of not guilty at District Kailee Court in Lindquist Polson on Sept. 16 to felony charges of assault on a minor and strangulation of a partner or family member. According to court
records, on July 17, Lake County Child Protection Services received a report of abuse or neglect of three children at a residence in St. Ignatius. Responding officers observed a cut above the eye of the youngest child, age six. The child claimed he got the cut when his mom backhanded him in the face while wearing a ring. During a forensic interview, the same child said his mother choked him and pinched his windpipe. The child reported the abuse happening while the family was in Great
Falls, Butte, Billings and at a campsite in St. Regis. A seven-year-old sibling says their mom abused all three of them, but mostly the youngest. The oldest sibling, age nine, confirmed her siblings’ stories during the interview. District Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher set the case for trial Jan. 24. Lindquist remains in the Lake County jail with bail set at $25,000 on these charges. The online jail roster shows she is also being held for probation violations and charges in another jurisdiction. Her total bail equals $200,000.
Gardipe pleads not guilty in machete incident POLSON — A Big Arm man is accused of threatening two people with a machete in Pablo this past July. Junior Gardipe, 33, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson Sept. 15 to two counts of assault with a weapon and attempted robbery, all felonies. According to court records, on July 29, law enforcement took a report of a person wielding a machete at two people on O’brien Road in Pablo. At the scene, the two alleged victims told responding law enforce-
ment that their assailant, later identified as Gardipe, showed up at their driveway asking for gas. The two said they helped Gardipe and Gardipe left. They say Gardipe returned a short time later swinging a machete and saying they owed him money. The two alleged victims said they started throwing rocks at Gardipe. One of the rocks hit Gardipe knocking him to the ground and the two people were able to take the machete away. A third person witnessed the incident and corroborated the
alleged victims’ story to law enforcement. Gardipe was facing two counts of assault with a weapon in Lake County for allegedly wielding a machete at two people on Powwow Road in Arlee on Nov. 26, 2019. That case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning the state could re-file the charges. Judge James Manley set this most recent case for trial Feb. 14. Gardipe is at liberty until a pre-trial hearing set for Jan. 12. see more courts on page 11
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