Man arrested following barricade situation near Flathead River Bridge
Deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff's Office and state troopers with Montana Highway Patrol block Highway 35 at Helena Flats Road and Swan Mountain Drive during an alleged incident involving SWAT near the bridge over the Flathead River on Tuesday, April 26. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Bruce Boles. (Photo courtesy Flathead County Sheriff's Office)
A transient man faces resisting arrest and obstructing a peace officer charges after a check on an illegally parked motor home on Montana 35 turned into a barricade situation Tuesday, April 26.
Bruce Boles, 35, surrendered to law enforcement after negotiators established contact with him. He is being held on a $2,300 bail in the Flathead County Detention Center.
The standoff, which left the Flathead River Bridge temporarily closed to traffic, began after deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint about an illegally parked motor home at 8:52 a.m. According to a press release, deputies found the motor home parked alongside the state highway.
They unsuccessfully tried to make contact with the occupant, who refused to answer the door or communicate with them, authorities said.
Investigators soon identified the the man as Boles and learned he had a warrant out for his arrest. A second attempt to establish contact failed after he began yelling at them and throwing objects out of the vehicle, officials said in the press release.
Deputies on scene also allegedly heard Boles threaten to shoot them. At that point, authorities took cover by their vehicles and called in the regional SWAT team.
Following their arrival, Boles entered into negotiations with law enforcement. He surrendered without incident, officials said.
A search of records filed in Flathead County District Court did not bring up any additional information about Boles.
