Police: Man who crashed into store arrested after running nude through retirement home

Law enforcement officials have identified a Columbia Falls man accused of driving through a grocery store and running naked through a retirement home during a Thursday evening melee in Columbia Falls.

Alan Roger Connor, Jr., 50, was booked into the Flathead County Detention Center on several charges, including attempted negligent vehicular assault, criminal endangerment, felony criminal mischief, aggravated DUI, driving on suspended or revoked license, operating a motor vehicle with no proof of insurance and duty to give information or render aid at an accident scene.

According to information from Columbia Falls Chief of Police Clint Peters, officers from his department and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office were called to Super 1 Foods at about 5:50 p.m., Thursday when a man drove a 1995 Chevy Lumina through the front doors and throughout the business.

The driver fled the scene in his vehicle before officers arrived, but a short time later officers found the Lumina located across the highway where it had apparently crashed into a trailer, disabling the vehicle. The driver fled the scene of the second crash on foot. Witnesses on scene described the driver as approximately 40-50 years of age with dark hair and a mustache or beard, and also described the clothing he was wearing.

Minutes later, the department received a call about a naked man running down the hallway of a nearby retirement home that was near the abandoned Lumina. Officers found the naked man one block west of the retirement home and arrested him.

Employees of the retirement home were able to identify the man through previous contacts and said he had a known relationship with a resident there. After a short initial investigation, officers determined the naked man was the driver of the Lumina.

“Our investigation has led us to believe that Connor’s actions were not in any way related to a political, social, or terroristic-type attack and this was an isolated incident,” Peters said in a news release. “If you were inside Super One Foods at the time of this incident, and haven’t already talked with our personnel, please call (406) 892-3234 so we can accurately determine the amount of people in the store at the time the vehicle broke through the doors.”

According to Chief Peters, the man showed signs of drug impairment at the time of his arrest.

“Part of our investigation will be to determine whether he was under the influence while operating his motor vehicle,” Peters said in a news release.

Peters commended Super 1 Foods employees whom he said showed true heroism by ushering customers out of the way of danger, preventing serious injury and potentially saving lives.

“We would like to recognize the incredible, and instantaneous response of the community of Columbia Falls for assisting with the securing of the building and cleaning of the mess inside the Super One Foods store,” Peters said. “This is further proof of what an incredible community we are all blessed with being part of.”

Once the store scene was cleared by police, about two dozen volunteers showed up to clean up the mess, said store meat supervisor Pete Pourroy after the Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce posted a call for help on its Facebook page.

They worked quickly — in about three hours they were mopping the floors.

“The Columbia Falls community is so amazing… I doubt you see that anywhere else,” Pourroy said.

On Thursday store personnel were fixing shelving and restocking the two aisles that were damaged. The store reopened early Friday morning.