Alleged auto thief pleads not guilty in district court
Barah Wood sits at the defendant's table during his Aug. 11, 2022, arraignment in Flathead County District Court on a felony theft charge. (Derrick Perkins/Daily Inter Lake)
A man who authorities say stole a vehicle left at a North Meridian Road repair shop pleaded not guilty to a felony theft charge in Flathead County District Court last week.
Barah Wood, 22, of Kalispell appeared before Judge Heidi Ulbricht for his arraignment on Aug. 11. After accepting his not guilty plea, Ulbricht scheduled Wood’s pretrial conference for Nov. 30.
Authorities picked up Wood after investigating the theft of a sport utility vehicle in early June. The vehicle’s owner told investigators he dropped it off at the repair shop on June 6, leaving the keys inside the SUV. When he called the shop to follow up the next day, an employee told him the Yukon had disappeared, court documents said.
Deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle about 10:39 p.m., June 7 near the Berne Park River Access, according to court documents. Inside sat Wood, court documents said.
He allegedly admitted to stealing the vehicle under questioning.
Wood was expected to be arraigned on the felony charge in late July, but missed his court appearance, leading to a bench warrant. Deputies picked him up again on July 26, according to documents filed in district court.
Following his arraignment last week, Ulbricht released Wood on his own recognizance but with conditions, including instructions to stay in contact with his attorney and appear at his Nov. 30 court date.
News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.