Man pleads not guilty to charges after chase

A 26-year-old Kalispell man pleaded not guilty Thursday in Flathead District Court to several charges related to a Sept. 1 police chase.

Shaun Robertson is alleged to have fled when a Kalispell police officer tried to pull him over for driving with headlights off. According to a court document, he drove at more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit with several officers in pursuit.

Robertson allegedly drove through a stop sign while a vehicle and a pedestrian were on the corner and later avoided stop sticks put out by police to puncture his tires.

Police eventually stopped Robertson after using a pursuit immobilization technique in which the officer uses the side of the front corner of a vehicle to strike the side of the rear corner of the suspect vehicle to force the driver to lose control and spin out.

Robertson then was taken into custody.

Robertson is charged with felony driving under the influence, felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor fleeing from or eluding a peace officer.

If convicted of all charges, Robertson faces up to 12 years and one month in prison, a consecutive suspended sentence of five years and a fine of between $3,000 and $62,000.

His next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 16, 2013.