Charges piling up against Somers man
A Somers man already facing four felonies has pleaded not guilty to an additional two felonies and a misdemeanor in a new case.
Dakota Bone, 23, pleaded not guilty recently in Flathead District Court to felony counts of criminal endangerment and criminal possession of dangerous drugs as well as misdemeanor fleeing from or eluding a peace officer.
According to a court document, Bone fled from Kalispell police on an all-terrain vehicle on Oct. 20 last year, reaching speeds of up to 70 miles per hour before the pursuit ended at the Flathead River near Amdahl Lane.
The document alleges that Bone’s passenger, Holly Donald, was apprehended but Bone fled on foot. He allegedly threw a revolver and a black holster as an officer caught up to him, then jumped into the river and escaped.
A black backpack alleged to belong to Bone was found in the area. Inside, police reportedly found a methamphetamine pipe.
It wasn’t until that December that Bone was finally apprehended, leading to the case including two felony charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs as well as felony counts of burglary and theft.
A court document in that case states that a Kalispell police officer responded to the area of Zip Trip East on Dec. 27 after receiving a report that Bone was driving a pickup truck in the area. The officer reportedly tracked down Bone on First Avenue West North and arrested him on several active warrants out of Flathead County Justice Court.
Bone was allegedly found to have several bags of methamphetamine, a snort tube and several Alprazolam (generic for Xanax) pills in his pocket. The document alleges that Bone told officers he had discarded a handgun in the alley while they were looking for him. He also told them where he had gotten the gun and that he knew it was stolen.
Bone was allegedly believed by the owner of the 9-millimeter handgun to be the suspect in that burglary since he was the owner’s daughter’s ex-boyfriend. Also stolen in that burglary were silver bars, a 47-inch television, jewelry and other items.
A few days later, Bone allegedly told a detective that he knew a burglary had occurred at the victim’s residence and that he committed the burglary with the person who had given him the gun as well as a third person. He allegedly said they entered the home by crawling through a broken window.
The court document alleges that a subsequent search of the second man’s residence turned up several more items stolen in the burglary, and that the man also admitted his involvement in the crime.
If convicted of all his charges in both cases, Bone faces up to 71 years in the Montana State Prison and a fine of up to $302,000.
Bone previously pleaded not guilty to his charges in the burglary case.
He is currently incarcerated in the Flathead County Detention Center, where his total bond across both cases is set at $65,000. His next hearings are April 9.