Suspect in armed vehicle chase given suspended sentences

A 30-year-old man received a pair of suspended sentences in Flathead County District Court for allegedly instigating a chase through Columbia Falls last year that involved firearms.  

Prosecutors accused Charles Delaney Warren of pursuing a gray SUV while it headed down Railroad Street on Sept. 16, 2023. Warren, riding in a tan pickup, began following the SUV closely before passing it closely enough that the driver and passenger feared a collision, court documents said.  

After swerving around for a while, Warren pulled into a turnout and let the SUV pass. He then pulled out and resumed tailgating them, court documents alleged. 

Warren passed the SUV a second time, allegedly again narrowly missing colliding with it. The other driver made a U-turn and unsuccessfully tried to shake Warren, according to court documents. The passenger in the SUV later allegedly told authorities that he fired one round from a shotgun during the chase.  

Warren eventually cut the vehicle off on Railroad Street, court documents said. The driver of the SUV tried to reverse but became stuck on a curb.  

With the SUV stranded, Warren allegedly got out of his truck armed with a black 10 mm pistol. Approaching the SUV, he racked the slide, inadvertently jamming the gun, court documents said. He was racking it a second and third time when Columbia Falls Police officers arrived about 9:33 p.m. 

Officers reported seeing him toss a black object into his pickup before complying with their commands. Investigators suspected it was the pistol.  

Authorities breath tested Warren after smelling the odor of alcohol on him and noting his bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. The sample returned with a breath alcohol concentration of .156, court documents said.  

Charged with felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Warren initially pleaded not guilty. But he struck a deal with prosecutors in February. In exchange for guilty pleas, prosecutors agreed to recommend he serve a suspended three-year term with the state Department of Corrections on the felony count and a partially suspended one-year sentence in county jail for the drunk driving misdemeanor.  

At Warren's April 11 sentencing, Judge Dan Wilson stuck to the terms of the agreement. He handed down a suspended three-year sentence for criminal endangerment and a one-year sentence with all, but seven days suspended for driving under the influence. He gave Warren credit for 21 days of time served. 

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