Law roundup: Student driver hits the streets unsupervised

Columbia Falls Police officers stopped an overly ambitious student driver on U.S. 2 and held them while they waited for a person with a valid driver's license to come fetch them. The pupil also received a written warning.  

Officers were summoned to the river to help in a water rescue after a kayaker took a plunge. After clinging to a branch, the kayaker was able to work their way over to the shoreline and eventually get out of the water as the kayak floated downriver. The waterlogged boater was wearing a life vest during the misadventure.  

A representative of a law enforcement firearms distributor contacted the authorities to let them know they would be available to teach a class.  

Officers headed to Nucleus Avenue for an animal cruelty call after a passerby spotted a barking dog left inside a parked SUV. They estimated the animal had been in the vehicle for at least 15 minutes. The police left a voicemail for the registered owner of the vehicle while noting the outside temperature was about 70 degrees and the SUV was parked in the shade with all the windows cracked at least 4 inches.