Kalispell man sentenced for punching bus driver

A Kalispell man who pleaded guilty to punching a county bus driver last year was recently sentenced.

Garry Richard Moller, 27, had pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, criminal endangerment and theft.

For the criminal endangerment, Moller was sentenced to serve 10 years, five suspended, in the Department of Corrections. He received credit for time served of 125 days.

For the theft count, Moller received a six-month suspended sentence in the Flathead County Jail, concurrent with the DOC term.

According to court records, Kalispell police officers responded to Windward Way for a report of an assault on an Eagle Transit bus driver. One officer spoke with an eyewitness to the altercation, who said she checked on the unconscious victim. The officer also spoke with another witness, who said she saw Moller punch the driver before fleeing the scene.

The officer then spoke with the driver before he was taken to the hospital. The driver said he picked up Moller in Whitefish and took him to the area of The Summit in Kalispell. Moller said he wanted to be taken to Evergreen, but the driver told him he needed to catch the city bus.

When they arrived at The Summit, Moller was upset with the driver for not taking him to Evergreen and allegedly punched the driver in the face, knocking him to the ground.

The victim later told a Kalispell detective that he suffered a broken tailbone, broken nose and a concussion from the punch. He said he was unable to continue to work for the bus company because of the injuries he suffered.

About a week later, another Eagle Transit driver contacted Kalispell police to report the man involved in the assault had just got off the bus at Starbucks on U.S. 93.

An officer then spoke with Moller. The victim later reportedly identified Moller in a lineup. Both eyewitnesses each identified Moller as one of two possible suspects in a lineup, as well.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker can be reached at sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com or at 758-4441.