Teen pleads guilty in girl's injury

Max Gregory Goe, 18, pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony criminal endangerment for his role in a 14-year-old girl's fall from a third-story window last December.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped a charge of sexual intercourse without consent and are recommending the Columbia Falls man receive a three-year deferred sentence.

However, District Court Judge Kitty Curtis could decide to send Goe to prison for up to 10 years and fine him $50,000.

Goe, who has no prior felony convictions, will be sentenced on Aug. 23.

Whitefish police said they were called to the Super 8 motel on a report of a missing 14-year-old girl. Hotel staff directed officers to one of the rooms, where officers heard voices inside.

Police knocked on the door and Goe eventually answered, reportedly wearing only pants. Goe said nobody else was in the room and allowed officers inside to check.

When police looked out an open window, they saw the girl lying face-down in the snow three stories below. She was conscious and complaining of leg injuries, reports said.

The girl was taken by ambulance to North Valley Hospital, where doctors found both of her legs and one hand were broken.

The girl later told police that after officers knocked on the door, Goe told her and another man in the room, Logan Jon Sandman, 18, to leave. Sandman then reportedly told her to jump out the window, which she did, then he jumped after her. She told him she was hurt, but he reportedly fled without offering any help.

Officers later found Sandman, also wearing only his pants, near the hotel.

The girl told police Goe and Sandman gave her six or seven beers and that she had sex with Goe.

Police found several condom wrappers and one used condom inside the motel room.

In Montana, anyone younger than 16 is considered incapable of consenting to sex.

Sandman has been charged with one count of criminal endangerment.

Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com