Broken justice system has failed us
It is time to write the letter. It is a letter that we never wanted to write but we are praying for the grace and guidance to write a letter that moves you as parents, grandparents, siblings, family, friends and loving members of this amazing community to continue in your support. We are Hazel Alexander’s parents. Some of you may know Hazel and her story but many of you may not.
No parent in the Flathead Valley or anywhere else wants that knock at the door in the dark of the night. There is an intention behind it. It is jarring with a formality that means “answer immediately.” If you have been on the receiving end, its memory will never leave you. I knew before I even opened the door what was possibly about to shatter our world. There was a Sheriff’s Office deputy at the door. The demeanor and tone about him foretold the crushing question, “Are you the parents of Hazel Alexander?”
Hazel was in a serious car accident and we were to follow or ride with him to the hospital. My wife asked if she was OK. His response expressed dire concern for her life.
“I don’t know, but we have to go. Now.”
This was our reality Jan. 9, 2026 around 9:30 p.m., our hearts racing, in shock and dread, rushing to the hospital not knowing if our daughter was alive or dead.
A little after 8:30 p.m., on the night of Hazel was T-boned by a criminal allegedly driving a stolen car and fleeing from police. At the intersection of U.S. 2 and Montana 206, while allegedly trying to outrace the police at approximately 80 to 90 miles per hour, he hit our daughter in her CRV.
There was so little room in her crumpled car that they decided to extract her from the passenger side. Miraculously, her feet came free. It is a miracle that she is alive now, or even survived the transport to the hospital. There was not an organ in her body that was not damaged or bruised. Her spleen and bladder were ruptured, jaw and femur broken, and pelvis shattered. She also suffered a bi-lateral stroke and traumatic brain injury from the impact, damaging her beautiful brain.
Now it is time to ask the question, why did this happen?
Why was this repeat offender not behind bars? Why was he moving freely about, endangering many as he raced down U.S. 2, allegedly committing yet another crime, adding to his shamefully long list? Officials say he was arrested nine times in the previous six months, at least 44 arrests in total. At what point is it enough?
We are asking you to take your outrage at the fact that this was allowed to occur and channel it into taking the next steps to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.
Let us empower our law enforcement officers, enabling them to do their jobs and put these criminals behind bars. If our elected officials in the justice system are not doing their jobs, let us make sure that they are not elected again. If our justice system is broken, as it appears to be, let us work to change it. If our jails are too full, let us rectify this, not by letting criminals run free, embedding themselves in our community like ticking time bombs, just one moment away from going off.
Let’s root them out and lock them up. If we need more room to incarcerate them, let us find it. We must examine how repeat offenders are monitored and released. With every release of a “non-violent repeat offender” our elected officials are gambling with the community’s safety and lives.
While we forgive this man, we will not forget and we will work to see that he is punished. Things are not acceptable as they are and unfortunately, it took seeing our daughter’s broken body for us to wake up and decide to do something about it. We are glad this was our daughter and not yours. We would never wish this on another family.
We are asking you — this amazing community that has provided so much support to our family during this trial — to join us. Let us take a stand, that we will not permit this any longer, and take the appropriate steps to protect our community. Let us take the next step to ensure that what happened to Hazel does not happen to someone else. In moments like these, justice depends not only on official investigations but on the courage and compassion of ordinary people. If you have any information at all that might assist us in seeking accountability — no matter how small it may seem — please reach out to law enforcement. We would be deeply grateful to hear from you as well.
Anyone who believes they can help is warmly encouraged to contact us at justicefortheflathead@gmail.com. Your voice could make a meaningful difference. Let us build a community where justice, accountability and compassion work together, so that every child (and all of us) can drive our roads safely.
And finally, we want to thank this community for the outpouring of support for Hazel and our family. From all of the first responders who saved our daughter’s life (there are no words) to Norm’s News, Uptown Hearth, Patriotic American Brewery, the Columbia Falls High School cross country team, Columbia Falls Junior High bake sale leaders, the American Legion and so many more. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
Please continue to support these businesses and our first responders and law enforcement officers. Shake their hands and say thank you. Give them your business.
Colleen and Simon Alexander live in Columbia Falls.