Public argument gets police attention

An employee of a U.S. 93 South business called the Whitefish Police Department to report a couple in the parking lot were engaged in a loud altercation. Responding officers spoke with the man involved in the alleged verbal disagreement, but the woman had left the scene before they arrived. The pair had decided to separate for the night.

A man called to report a wallet that had been lost, possibly having fallen out of a vehicle. The caller wanted to file a description in case someone found it and turned it in to police.

A Birch Point Drive resident called to report parked vehicles causing traffic issues. The caller stated it was an ongoing issue, because people frequently parked there to access the nearby sledding hill. Officers found that two of the vehicles in question were parked legally, and the driver of one other vehicle was counseled.

A driver on Baker Avenue called to report a reckless driver who was allegedly cutting people off and at one point drove into the bike lane to pass the caller’s vehicle. Officers were unable to locate the suspect’s vehicle.

A caller at a U.S. 93 South hotel reported a man yelling at his girlfriend and “breaking things,” disturbing guests in the process. Responding officers found that the altercation was verbal only, and hotel employees warned the man that he would be removed from the building if the disturbance continued.

Police received two calls about dogs barking — One on Willowbrook Close and the other on Aspen Grove Street. In both (unrelated) cases, officers reported that the dogs’ owners were not home.

A woman called the Columbia Falls Police Department to report that she had lost her purse, possibly leaving it at the grocery store. She later called back to report she had found the purse in her closet.

A Ninth Street West resident called to report a dog that had been hanging around the neighborhood for several days. The caller brought the dog to the police station. The dog had no collar or tags, but was described as a young, female, dark-haired, medium-sized dog that was possibly a pit breed mix.

A woman called to report that she was being harassed by an officer who had arrested her in November on drug charges. She alleged that officers were visiting her workplace and “told her boss that [she] is on drugs.”

A Martha Road resident called police to report an intoxicated, unknown female had walked into their apartment, then walked back out and across the hall to a different residence. The resident said there seemed to be a lot of people partying in the complex, and asked officers to check it out. Responding officers found there was a party going on, and advised the revelers to keep the noise down.

The Smith Valley Fire Department responded to a vehicle fire on Orchard Ridge Road.