Man accused of stealing snowplow pleads not guilty

Accused of stealing a snowplow in late January, Justus Isaiah Weldon pleaded not guilty to a felony robbery charge in Flathead County District Court last week.

Prosecutors alleged in court documents that the 29-year-old hopped into a snowplow left running near the intersection of First Avenue East and Third Street in Kalispell about 5:11 a.m., Jan. 28. According to an affidavit, nearby workers clearing a parking lot confronted Weldon, but failed to stop him from driving off.

Co-workers of that crew later came across the snowplow headed south near Airport Road, court documents said. They used another snowplow to stop and pin the allegedly stolen vehicle near the intersection of U.S. 93 South and 18th Street.

When the workers opened the door, Weldon unsuccessfully tried to fight them off, court documents said. The two men wrestled him out of the snowplow and held him until Kalispell Police officers arrived.

Police identified Weldon and placed the value of the allegedly stolen snowplow at $22,200, court documents said.

Weldon appeared before Judge Amy Eddy on Feb. 16 for his arraignment in an orange inmate’s uniform. Eddy scheduled an omnibus hearing for Feb. 22 with a pretrial conference to follow on March 8. A status hearing is set for April 3.

Weldon remains in the county jail with bail set at $100,000.

If convicted, he faces between two and 40 years in Montana State Prison and a fine of $50,000.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.