Suspect who fled Kalispell Police has lengthy criminal history, court docs say

The man arrested following a police chase in Kalispell earlier this month has a laundry list of prior convictions, including for evading peace officers and hit-and-runs, according to documents filed in Flathead County District Court. 

Matthew Francisco Cupp, 26, faces one count of felony criminal endangerment in connection with the alleged March 4 chase. Held in county jail with bond set at $150,000, he is expected to appear before Judge Amy Eddy on March 21 for his arraignment. 

Kalispell Police officers began searching for Cupp after receiving reports of a man shoving a woman against a camper on Sixth Avenue West about 1:42 p.m., court documents said. Told that the man had gone westbound on Seventh Street in a white passenger car sporting California license plates, officers followed along and got onto the U.S. 93 Bypass, court documents said. 

Heading north, they came across a vehicle matching the description given by witnesses. When the officers hit their lights in anticipation of a traffic stop, the passenger car departed the highway via the Three Mile Drive offramp. 

With the officers following, the driver of the passenger car — later identified as Cupp — turned right onto Three Mile Drive while ignoring a red light, court documents said. Heading down Three Mile Drive, which included a school zone for Kalispell Middle School, the vehicle hit speeds of 80 mph, according to court documents. 

Merging onto North Meridian Road, Cupp allegedly began weaving through traffic as he headed south. Running a red light at the intersection with U.S. 2, Cupp then turned onto Appleway Drive and into an adjacent apartment complex, court documents said. 

There, he allegedly hopped out of the car and fled on foot west through the complex. Officers reported that the car ended up rolling another 20 feet before coming to rest against an embankment.

After a roughly 10-minute search, authorities located Cupp in an upstairs breezeway of one of the apartment buildings, court documents said. 

Cupp initially denied any knowledge of the original call, the white passenger car or the chase, court documents said. He later allegedly admitted running from officers, telling authorities he lacked a driver’s license and was on probation in California — and in Montana without permission. 

A search of Cupp’s vehicle allegedly turned up several bullets, a glass bong, glass pipe, small ziplock bag, glass vial containing suspected methamphetamine, a Texas driver’s license with Cupp’s photo but a different name and a California birth certificate for Cupp. 

A review of Cupp’s criminal history turned up multiple felony and misdemeanor connections, according to court documents, including for several hit-and-runs, evading a peace officer, carrying a concealed dirk or dagger, taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, possession of a controlled substance for sale and a felon in possession of a firearm. 

Criminal endangerment is punishable by up to 10 years in the Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine.

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