Man with machete arrested after police confrontation

A machete-wielding man was arrested after allegedly trying to steal a car in Depot Park in Kalispell on Saturday morning.

According to a press release from the Kalispell Police Department, at 9:59 a.m., Kalispell officers responded to a report of a suspicious man who was breaking into a vehicle in the area. A Kalispell Police Department sergeant located the man on foot and turned on his emergency lights to alert the man of his presence. The man allegedly moved toward the officer and pulled a can of bear spray and a machete out of his pocket.

The sergeant remained in the vehicle and backed away from the suspect. The man reportedly deployed the bear spray at the sergeant and struck the patrol vehicle with the machete. The sergeant kept his distance from the man with his vehicle until back-up officers arrived on scene. Officers then exited their vehicles and took the suspect into custody without further incident.

Brandon Michael Haddon, 32, was booked into the Flathead County Detention Center.

The incident remains under investigation.