C.F. duo arrested for kidnapping

A pair of Columbia Falls men are in police custody after a man escaped from the trunk of their vehicle north of Spokane.

According to the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office, a motorist saw the vehicle’s trunk pop open and a man inside start waving his arms and yelling for help while traveling on U.S. 2 near Pend Oreille Park shortly after 7 a.m. Sunday.

The car quickly stopped and the man jumped out and ran toward the witness’ car.

The man, who has not yet been identified beyond the fact that he lives in the Flathead Valley but is originally from Washington, told the driver he had been beaten, bound and forced into the trunk in Montana.

Later investigation revealed injuries consistent with his story, although he declined medical attention at the scene. He was later taken to Crime Victim Services for assistance.

Kenny J. Morrison, 29, and John M. Davis, 39, of Columbia Falls were apprehended after deputies located their vehicle headed toward Newport, Wash. They at first did not stop and threw a gun out of the car. The weapon was recovered.

They were arrested on charges of kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, fourth-degree assault, possession of methadone without a prescription and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Pend Oreille County Sheriff Alan Botzheim is working with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.

“Our detectives have just been working with the agency in Washington attempting to get all their reports, interviews, et cetera, and we’ve also been in contact with the FBI,” Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said.

The men could be charged in either Pend Oreille County or Flathead County, or the FBI could choose to seek federal charges. Curry said reasons for a federal case could include transporting a kidnapped person across state lines or the involvement of a weapon.

“Many things potentially give them jurisdiction,” Curry said. “There’s been no real decision made yet as to who’s going to charge who with what. That should happen here in the next couple of days as soon as we can compile all of the data.”

In the meantime, Curry’s office is conducting local interviews as part of its investigation.

Both suspects have had previous contact with law enforcement in the Flathead. Davis’ experience has been limited to misdemeanors, according to Curry.

Morrison was charged with felony theft by embezzlement in two 2010 cases, though both eventually were dropped.

Both cases were identical and based on the same allegation — that Morrison voided transactions at the Columbia Falls Quick Lube while an employee there and kept the money paid by the customers, totaling more than $5,200.

The first case was dismissed entirely, while the second was set for a jury trial on Feb. 7, 2011. It was dismissed on Jan. 31, 2011, as part of a deferred prosecution agreement. Through the agreement, the case would be dismissed and not brought back as long as Morrison followed certain requirements.

According to Flathead County Deputy Attorney Travis Ahner, the file that holds those requirements was in the office’s archives and wasn’t immediately available. He said it was possible that the case could be resurrected if the new case violated the agreement.

Ahner said deferred prosecution agreements are rare and involve multiple parties.

“Typically we wouldn’t do it without consulting with victims,” Ahner said. “That’s often a big part of it.”

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.