Fugitive search renewed

The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday launched an extensive ground search southwest of Missoula, where officers engaged in a shootout with convicted felon David Burgert just over a year ago.

Searchers from seven agencies scoured the woods but did not find anything on Wednesday.

Burgert is still wanted on a $500,000 warrant for attempted deliberate homicide for the June 12, 2011, shootout.

Burgert fired at Missoula County sheriff’s deputies along a logging trail after leading them on a slow-speed chase near the town of Lolo on U.S. 12. The deputies returned fire — no one was hurt — before Burgert grabbed gear from the Jeep and fled on foot into the woods.

Officers from a variety of law enforcement agencies searched for him for about two weeks.

The Sheriff’s Office believes it’s safe to return to the area along U.S.  12 near Lolo with civilian volunteers to do a more extensive ground search for evidence.

Burgert had a long history of scuffles large and small with Flathead Valley law enforcement and political leaders including a charge of assaulting a sheriff’s deputy in January 2001 and a February 2002 armed standoff with officers west of Kalispell.

Burgert served time in the Federal Bureau of Prisons on weapons charges before being released on probation in 2010. Before his sentencing, he was diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder.

At one point when he was living in Flathead County, Burgert orchestrated the appearance of his own death.

His pickup truck and fishing gear were left at Presentine Bar on the Flathead River in January of 2002, but there was no sign of Burgert and a search was launched. In the days that followed, Burgert’s wife accused law enforcement of killing her husband, but it was eventually discovered that Burgert had been camping in the woods north of Whitefish.

In February of that year, Burgert was located with a girlfriend west of Kalispell.

After a short chase, the woman was arrested but an overnight standoff ensued with Burgert. He surrendered the next day and a large cache of weapons, ammunition and survival equipment was uncovered at the girlfriend’s house.