courts Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal
Polson man makes plea deal
Arlee man pleads guilty to criminal endangerment
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POLSON — An Arlee man admitted to his part in causing a traffic crash that injured three others. Jacob Riley Santos, 32, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on Oct. 7 to felony criminal endangerment. According to court records, on March 20, just before noon, Montana Highway Patrol Trooper T. Cade Thompson responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 93 in the Arlee area. There were reportedly multiple injuries and both vehicles involved in the crash were blocking traffic. At the scene Trooper Thompson observed a Ford Escort with heavy front end damage and a Toyota Rav 4 with heavy damage to the driver’s side rear quarter panel. A witness to the accident told Trooper Thompson that the Ford Escort “blew through a stop sign” failing to yield as it entered the highway hitting the northbound Toyota
Rav 4 broadside. Santos was identified as the driver of the Ford Escort. Santos allegedly admitted to drinking and using methamphetamine prior to the crash. His passenger told the trooper that Santos had been drinking since the night before and was using the back roads to get home. The Ford Escort had no license plate. Santos had a revoked or suspended driver’s license and could not provide proof of insurance or a proper registration for the Ford Escort. Prosecutor James Lapotka with the Lake County Attorney’s office says the plea agreement calls for the imposition of sentencing being deferred for six years, chemical dependency treatment and restitution to the victims. The case was heard before Judge John W. Larson of Missoula via the Zoom platform. He set a sentencing hearing for Dec. 2.
Lake County marriages/divorces for Sept. 2021 Marriages Anthony Shay Golden and Tasha Lynn Conrad Stormy Lee Bacon and Sarah Nicole Salvino Daniel Todd Larimer and Addison Rose Swanson Graeson Boyd Keisel and Rachel E. Tenison Rafe Powers Fangsrud and Jaydyn Lea Child Changel M. Griffiths and Arland Guy Welty Sarah Inez marrinan and Gregory D. Stephens Jennifer Rae Barney and Charles Henry Zeiler Carl C. Malstrom and Ameliaada M. Brooks Isaiah Lanfond Williams and Kiana Nikole Almaguer Courtney D. Zimmerer and Jacob Orrin Koenig Joanna Rose Browning and Quinn Andrew Gordon Eugene Gideon and Sheree Lynn Miller
Plea resolves most charges for armed standoff incident POLSON — A Polson man who was involved in an armed stand-off with police and caused the residents of a trailer court to evacuate their homes, has Edward entered a Hardy plea agreement that could resolve most of the criminal matters stemming from the incident. Edward Dale Hardy, 63, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on Oct. 7 to one count of felony assault with a weapon. The plea agreement calls for felony charges of kidnapping and criminal endangerment to be dismissed at sentencing.
According to court records, on July 8, Polson police responded to the Bellevue Trailer Court along U.S. Highway 93 in Polson after a woman called 911 to report her boyfriend had fired his weapon inside the residence and was refusing to let her leave. Other residents of the trailer court also reported hearing shots fired. A responding Polson police officer approached the trailer where the disturbance was reported and noticed two bullet holes. The officer retreated to his patrol unit. About that same time, the woman who first reported the shooting, was back on the phone with 911 dispatchers. She indicated that her boyfriend, later identified as Hardy, was now barricading himself inside the trailer home. She also said Hardy told her to say he had explosives inside the home. Area residents were
forced to evacuate their homes as a precaution. Police were eventually able to negotiate the woman’s release as multiple other law enforcement agencies responded to assist. Hardy was able to escape his house through a window. A Polson police officer subdued Hardy as he was attempting to enter his vehicle. Police would later find what was described in court as a pipe bomb inside Hardy’s home. Prosecutor Molly Owen with the Lake County Attorney’s office says the plea agreement calls for a joint recommendation of 20 years with the Montana State Prison with 10 years suspended. Judge John W. Larson of Missoula, who presided over the case via the Zoom platform, set sentencing for Dec. 2. Hardy remains in the Lake County jail with bail set at $100,000.
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