Law roundup: A case of mistaken gas
A potentially explosive situation turned out to be a real gas upon further investigation by the Kalispell Police Department. Officers responded to Main Street for a report of a car loaded with propane tanks along a parade route. Authorities located the vehicle, but didn’t turn up any propane. Instead they found a tank inside containing helium, an inert and non-combustible gas.
Officers pulled over a motorist after a caller reported seeing the vehicle swerving all over U.S. 93. Upon speaking with the driver, they deemed her clear-minded, articulate and lacking any signs of alcohol or drug use.
Finding the women’s bathroom at a local park trashed, a caller told police they suspected one or more revelers lit fireworks in them.
Officers tracked down a woman near a local grocery store after receiving reports of a woman passed out behind the business leaving her toddler to wander around unsupervised. Police determined that the woman and her children were fine.
Police crossed paths with an alleged member of the Texas Syndicate, a street gang with strong ties to the Lone Star State.
A parade-goer reported a teenage reveler for allegedly smoking marijuana in public.
A woman walking near a local park told police that a man in a white truck pulled up and offered her a ride. She thought the behavior was suspicious.
A group of homeless people living behind a supermarket concerned a passerby who asked police to check in on them. The group included several small children and the caller worried about the kids’ welfare.
Hoping to avoid dealing with his neighbors directly, a resident phoned police to report them speeding up and down the street on minibikes. He asked that officers not tell his neighbors who turned them in to the authorities.
A motorist spotted what appeared to be either a group of Hermanos or Amigos motorcycle club members roaring into town.
Fireworks near Liberty Street irked a homeowner, who told police that the noise had upset her dog.
Spotting a neighboring home with a missing window, a resident asked that police check out the location. Officers subsequently walked through the building with the property owner. Nothing appeared amiss.
Officers were called upon to break up a fight between two brothers after one of the irate siblings reported getting punched in the face. Authorities later learned the fight began after one of the siblings found his dogs out off of the leash.
An accidental 911 call earned a man a talking-to about putting on amateur pyrotechnics shows within city limits. Dispatchers initially got an open line and snippets of conversation, mostly a man talking about his phone. He later told dispatchers he dialed the emergency line by accident while lighting off fireworks. Dispatchers reminded him of the city ordinance regarding fireworks.