Family frantic over 'missing' kids
A 3-year-old’s unfounded report led to a frantic response at a River Estates Drive home in Columbia Falls. The homeowner, who was out of town, contacted the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office after his wife called him to tell him their 3-year-old daughter went upstairs and came back down saying there was someone in the house. The wife and girl left the house, at which point the woman reported they were missing four of their children. The house was cleared by police, who found no one inside, and the missing children were found next door.
A man with long gray hair carrying an expensive digital camera with a large zoom lens was approached by police after being reported taking photos of children from a Somers parking lot. He showed his pictures to an officer, who reported none of the images contained children.
A Columbia Falls dog owner decided to get rid of her family dog, saying it had turned vicious, after the dog got into her neighbor’s pig pen and killed the neighbor’s pig before turning on the neighbor and her children, who managed to contain the dog.
A group of young teenagers living up to the YOLO creed were seen shooting Roman candles at each other on the roof of a Helena Flats Road school.
A Van Sant Road resident reported someone set an entire pack of fireworks on fire and fled, letting all the fireworks go off. The resident had to put water on the fireworks to put them out, and said this has already happened a couple of times this year and they were worried it will start a fire.
A youth was seen shortly before midnight running with a gas can near a fireworks stand on South Meridian Road and trying to hide in the shadows.
A pair of peppy pit bulls were reported after killing some rabbits on Frontier Trail before taking off after nearby horses.
A manic motorcyclist was reported traveling at speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour on Tronstad Road.
Between 5 p.m. Tuesday and 1 a.m. Wednesday, the Kalispell Police Department received reports of people illegally setting off fireworks on Sixth Avenue West North, Eighth Avenue West North, Denver Avenue, North Meridian Road and Second Avenue West. One report came in of fireworks being set off at a fireworks booth on South Meridian Road, but the caller was advised the booth was just outside city limits and not subject to the Kalispell ban.
A hair-raising situation was reported at a salon on Fifth Street East, where a woman reported welding sparks from work on the second floor were falling on people in the first-floor salon, including into one woman’s hair. An officer spoke with the welder, who said he would make his work safe or come back later.
An unlucky cellphone owner was arrested after pocket dialing 911, at which point a dispatcher overheard the person talking about “smoking a bowl” in a parking lot, wanting to hit someone, selling drugs, and the cost of the drugs.
A pair of teenage boys were reported hiding in the trees in the parking lot of a U.S. 93 South business.
A confused caller contacted the Whitefish Police Department early Tuesday morning trying to order breakfast before hanging up on a dispatcher. When called back, the woman said she talked to the front desk and they told her to call “this number” for her breakfast.
A trio of fireworks complaints were reported Tuesday, beginning at 9:16 a.m., when a JP Road resident said for the two nights prior, starting at 10:45 p.m., someone had been setting off fireworks in a nearby undeveloped neighborhood, and that if law enforcement didn’t do anything and the activity continued, he would personally confront those responsible. At 10:26 p.m., fireworks were reported on Armory Road, and five minutes later, a large display was reported in the ball field area.
A black bear estimated at 125 pounds was seen crossing Voerman Road into Shady River Estates, headed toward the river.
A small group of rude music lovers managed to catch the attention of the Columbia Falls Police Department by playing their music very loud in the park and refusing to turn it down when asked.
A Fourth Avenue West resident complained that their neighbor was shooting off fireworks after allowed hours Tuesday night.
A log truck rollover closed lanes of U.S. 2 two miles east of Montana 56 for more than three hours Wednesday morning, according to the Montana Department of Transportation. Both lanes were initially closed when the accident occurred shortly after 7 a.m., with one lane opening about 15 minutes later and the other opening nearly three hours later.
A minor three-vehicle crash at the intersection of Center Street and Main Street temporarily blocked traffic Wednesday afternoon.
The Kalispell Fire Department responded to a shed engulfed in flames Wednesday evening on Seventh Avenue West.