courts Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal
McLeod pleads not guilty to endangerment, possession POLSON — A Ronan man is accused of leading Polson Police on a high-speed chase to avoid being caught with a large amount of illegal drugs. Donald Ray McLeod, 37, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson Jan. 5 to felony charges of criminal endangerment and criminal possession with intent to distribute. Ray McLeod According to court records, on Dec. 20 Polson Police Sgt. Matt Gfroerer was responding to a burglary alarm at about 1:30 a.m. on Ridgewater Drive when he observed a suspicious vehicle drive by with no lights on. Gfroerer followed the vehicle as it abruptly turned onto U. S. Highway 93. The suspect vehicle continued traveling north but in the southbound lane. Gfroerer activated his lights and sirens to get the vehicle
new BIE logo from page 7
there is the sun which gives us growth, abundance and hope.” The center of the logo is an Indigenous student placed on an open book indicating the power of knowledge and lifelong learning. The four lines on the book represent the four directions, the four seasons, the four stages of life and four sacred plants. The logo represents the ongoing commitment of the BIE to its mission as it provides educational services to its students and Tribal
to stop, but it continued traveling into Polson, turning onto Hillcrest Drive. The suspect vehicle pulled into the Cherry Hill apartment complex before turning around. The pursuit continued back onto U. S. Highway 93 south to Pablo. The suspect looped around Pablo before crashing into three parked cars. The driver, later identified as McLeod, attempted to flee on foot, but was caught and arrested by Gfroerer. McLeod was allegedly in possession of 12 blue pills he called “mexies” – street slang for counterfeit fentanyl pills from Mexico. A search of the vehicle McLeod was driving allegedly turned up $6,070 cash, approximately 380 more blue fentanyl pills with an estimated street value of $15,000, a small bag of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Judge James Manley set a trial date of June 6. McLeod remains in the Lake County jail with bail totaling $150,000.
communities. The logo will be used on all official correspondence as well as publications, website, social media, and communication materials. The bureau was established on Aug. 29, 2006. Previously, all Bureau of Indian Education programs had been within the Office of Indian Education Programs at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Both Bureau of Indian Education and Bureau of Indian Affairs are under the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Bureau of Indian
Education currently supports 183 bureau-funded elementary and secondary schools located on 64 reservations in 23 states that serve approximately 46,000 Indian students. Of these, 53 are BIE-operated and 130 are Tribally controlled through BIE contracts or grants. Additionally, the BIE directly operates two postsecondary institutions: Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
vj Valley Journal
January 12, 2022 - 9
