Rumors of dangerous man in Bigfork unfounded, sheriff says

The rumor mill has run amok in Bigfork.

Residents and local businesses have blown out of proportion the possible danger posed by a suspicious man in the area, according to Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry.

The only sure information about the man is a suspicious-person report called in to the Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday afternoon.

The man reportedly entered Christie’s Great Estates on Electric Avenue, where he “barged into the office and protested the Canadian flag they had flying out front and slammed a quarter down on the desk,” scaring everyone in the office, according to a dispatch log.

He was later contacted by a deputy, who advised him he was no longer allowed at the business and would be trespassing if he showed up again.

Although the log indicates he has been known to carry a rifle, Curry said it has not been confirmed whether or not he has been or whether he was ever seen carrying one locally.

“He really hasn’t done anything illegal, he’s just a crazy guy,” Curry said.

Curry said his deputies have been trying to locate the man again — not to arrest him or because he is dangerous but only to check on his mental state.

Curry specifically refuted a claim made in a call to his office on Wednesday from a resident who heard that deputies were knocking on neighbors’ doors warning them to keep their doors locked and stay inside because a nonregistered sex offender is missing.

He said that entire statement was untrue.

A Bigfork Chamber of Commerce email sent out Thursday warned local businesses and said the Chamber would be open but keeping its doors locked.

“Please be alert if he would come into your office,” the email reads. “Remove yourself from the area, get to safe location, and call 911.”

According to Curry, however, “There’s lots of ‘Well, we heard... well, we heard.’ It’s kind of turned into a little community mess. We are not knocking on doors and asking people to stay indoors or anything like that. Right now we have nothing to indicate anything other than that he is weird.”