Law roundup: Man’s screaming leaves passerby concerned

Hearing what sounded like a man's screams emanating from a white minivan on Nucleus Avenue, a concerned passerby asked the Columbia Falls Police Department to check it out. They said it sounded like the man was screaming for help. They were unsure whether the man needed medical help or was distressed in some other way.  

Finding a female large breed dog sporting a purple collar wandering around Darlene Road, a passerby asked that officers take ownership of the animal. They described the animal as "in rough shape" and said that they couldn't take the canine because they already had a dog. Authorities fetched the tan and white pooch and took it to the county animal shelter.  

A woman arrived at the Police Department and said she had a meeting with someone about a fight involving her daughter.  

Spotting a group of preteen and teen girls drinking suspiciously from a sports drink bottle at the skate park, a passerby told officers she believed they were boozing. The girls looked drunk, she said, and were taking what appeared to be shots from the bottle and chasing it with soda. The woman later amended the story, telling officers that, on second thought, they didn't look drunk and acknowledging that she never smelled alcohol on them. She did add that she confronted them about drinking in the park and they all gave her a "deer-in-the-headlights" look. She also reported contacting at least one of their parents through Facebook. She hoped officers would ramp up patrols around the park.  

Authorities checked in on the owner of a vehicle sitting stationary at Depot Park for some length of time. After the man behind the wheel confirmed he would not be staying there overnight, officers reminded him of the park's hours of operation.  

Officers tried to smooth things over between a motorist and a pedestrian after the latter reported the former for speeding in the area and took video of their driving. Based on the footage, investigators agreed that the vehicle was likely going over the posted speed limit and tracked down the person behind the wheel. After getting counseled on sticking to the speed limit, the motorist accused the pedestrian of jumping out in front of her.  

A woman was detained for shoplifting.