2015 year in crime round up
January
James Rand Hernval and Jessica Erin Taylor
A Melita Island Road resident watched as Jessica Erin Taylor, 37 of Flathead County, took mail from his mailbox this January, then climb into a white truck where James Rand Hernval, 34, also of Flathead County, sat behind the steering wheel.
The witness ran down to the mailboxes but the couple sped away and started a police chase that would take law enforcement officials through the back roads and woods of the area.
But as luck, or the suspect, would have it, searchers didn’t need search for long because Taylor unknowingly asked to use the telephone of the tow truck driver hired to tow her escape vehicle away.
The tow truck driver, called by the Sheriff’s department to collect the truck used in the theft, inched its way around the loop when the shivering woman jumped out of the bushes, stopped the driver and asked to use his cell phone.
The tow-truck driver gave the woman his phone then promptly notified law enforcement of the Taylor’s location.
Sheriffs’ deputies arrived within minutes, arrested Taylor and transported her to the Lake County Detention Center where she turned over her partner’s name.
Hernval was arrested later.
James Wilson Allen
James Wilson Allen of St. Ignatius faced arraignment in January on charges of felony assault with a weapon after he allegedly shot at an off-duty Tribal officer Jan. 20.
Allen also faces felony possession of a dangerous drug, a charged waged in July 2013.
Allen’s latest brush with trouble began when off duty tribal officer T.J. Haynes spotted Allen Jan. 20 in St. Ignatius and knew Allen had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, Lake County court records said.
Haynes told Allen there was a warrant for his arrest just before Haynes watched Allen reach into his waistband, pull out a Ruger .22 pistol and point it at Haynes, an affidavit said.
“Officer Haynes dove to the ground and heard a ‘pop’ as he moved to a more protected position behind his vehicle,” the affidavit said. “Officer Haynes called for back up and advised officers the direction (Allen) appeared to have fled and informed them (Allen) was wearing blue jeans and a green Army-style jacket.
Then Lake County Undersheriff James Atkins located footprints and tracked Allen to a point where Atkins saw Allen running into Mission Creek.
Officers found Allen in the back bedroom of a St. Ignatius home, hiding with a Ruger .22 pistol in his hands.
“(Allen) resisted arrest and attempted to grab another officer’s gun,” the affidavit said.
Allen was ultimately taken into custody safely.
February
Cory Robert Franklin
Cory Robert Franklin was arrested in Flathead County in February on felony theft and criminal contempt charges. Franklin is believed to be one of at least two suspects responsible for the Jan. 30 ATM theft from Polson’s Community Bank.
Franklin, 32 of Lakeside, faces Lake County felony theft charges along with another set of unrelated charges in Flathead County, said Polson Police Detective Michelle Scott.
When Franklin was found with a stolen Chevy Z71 pickup truck authorities believe he used in the ATM machine theft.
In addition, Franklin and at least one other man are expected to be charged with the attempted theft of a coin machine at Polson’s Wash N’ Go car wash. The Wash N’ Go theft occurred Jan. 30 about an hour before the ATM theft, Scott said.
Cole Snyder
Cole Snyder, 18 of Ronan faced a maximum jail sentence of 100 years to life if found guilty of felony sexual abuse of children and felony criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, Lake County records said.
Snyder was arrested Feb. 15 one day after winning the Montana 2B State Wrestling Championship title in Billings after a tipster notified the Ronan School District of Snyder’s activities as well as those of other students.
At least four other students also faced drug-related charges, but were sent to the juvenile court system for potential prosecution.
Court records outline the story of Snyder’s confession to police about his involvement in the situation.
In addition to Snyder’s drug incident, Eschenbacher said in his affidavit that Snyder was simultaneously manipulating a 15-year-old girl to provide him with nude pictures of herself, records said.
Felony sexual abuse of a child and dangerous drug charges were dismissed without prejudice pursuant to a prosecution agreement on July 21.
April
Joseph Zachary Schiel
Joseph Zachary Schiel, 32, landed in Lake County Jail after he used his legs to choke a Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal officer to near unconsciousness April 1, Lake County Sheriff Don Bell said.
Officers placed Schiel in the back of a law enforcement vehicle after responding to an emergency call at around 4:45 a.m. Schiel was handcuffed, detained and placed in a police vehicle, when responding officers saw Schiel kicking at the vehicle’s back windows, Bell said.
The first tribal officer opened the car door in an attempt to subdue the suspect, but Scheil responded by kicking the first officer in chest, face and legs, Bell said. A second officer stepped into help when Schiel twisted himself into a position where he forced the deputy onto the ground and strangled the deputy with his legs, Bell said.
The deputy was within seconds of losing consciousness, Bell said.
Schiel faced two counts of felony, assault on a peace officer and two charges of felony possession of dangerous drugs.
Dale Glen Parker
Dale Glen Parker, 46 of Ronan was arrested after taking pursuing officers on a chase through Lake County that ended near Haystack Mountain Lane on April 15.
Ronan Police Officers attempted to pull Parker over for a broken taillight when the chase began, said Lake County Sheriff Don Bell.
Instead of stopping, Parker took off, taking members of the Ronan Police Department, Tribal Law and Order officers and Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a chase through town, Bell said.
Unwilling to stop his car, Parker forced pursuing police to apply spike strips to the roadway, a task Polson Police Department officers helped provide, Bell said.
After hitting spike strips, Parker continued to drive away from officers, which sparked a tire fire, Bell said.
Parker, who was on parole was arrested on felony probation violation and criminal endangerment and booked into Lake County Detention Center in Polson.
Parker is listed on the Montana Sexual or Violent Offender Registry as a violent offender and was sentenced for felony assault with a weapon on March 7, 2005.
May
Daniel G. Fellows
Daniel G. Fellows, 19 of Bigfork man was arrested after he drove his full-size pickup truck into the back of a stopped and unloading Polson School District bus at 78 miles per hour on May 11, according to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Terry Rosenbaum.
In all, 10 or 11 students were transported to area hospitals for treatment, Rosenbaum said. Three of those students were transported by ambulance. Remaining students were transported to area hospitals by private vehicle on the recommendation of school district personnel.
All students were treated and released within a few hours, Rosenbaum said.
June
Brandon Jeppeson and Ty Butler
A Montana Highway Patrol trooper trying to stop a truck for a traffic violation on Montana Highway 28 before sunrise this June, found himself on a police chase behind two suspects who were towing a $100,000 boat stolen from Lakeside June 18, according to Lake County Sheriff Don Bell.
Instead of stopping, two men, who were later identified as Brandon Jeppeson and his cousin Ty Butler, fled northbound on Highway 28. The Montana Highway Patrol trooper called Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies for back up, who responded and requested mutual aid from Lake County, Bell said.
Before the suspects were captured a group of Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies, Lake County’s day and night shift deputies, the Lake County’s Sheriff and Undersheriff, members of Tribal Fish and Game, Tribal Law and Order and Two Bear Air would participate in the hunt.
While Brandon and Jeppeson were bounding through the un-developed land, the stolen boat became detached from the truck, Bell said.
Members of Two Bear Air were unable to pick up the suspect with their infra-red cameras, Bell said.
Several hours passed as the two men hid in the hills.
Andrew Jackson
Several businessmen want Andrew Jackson, of Ronan, to pay his bill for their bulls…and cows and other various items he promised to produce and did not over the past few years.
Jackson pleaded guilty to felony deceptive business practices at the end of June.
Jackson, 29, earned this felony charge after his latest victim, businessmen Brad Weider and his partner spent a total of $201,000 under the agreement that they purchased 120 pairs of cows, three bulls and “favorable” grazing land for the herd to wander, according to Lake County Court documents.
July
Aaron Matt
Aaron Matt, a 2002 Ronan resident, is one of two men who escaped, or “walked away” the Butte Prerelease Center July 20 and remains out of prison.
Matt, who is 5 feet 7 inches tall and 225 pounds has black hair, tattoos and a history in Lake County.
Matt ended up in the court system after a 2002 domestic disturbance that included now Lake County Sheriff, Don Bell.
Phillip “Cody” Haynes
Confederated Salish & Kootenai Divisional Firefighter Phillip “Cody” Haynes pleaded guilty to felony arson July 30. Haynes was charged with the crime in March after he admitted to investigators that he started seven different forest fires in the past three years, according to Lake County Prosecutor Steve Eschenbacher.
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August
Galen Hawk
Galen Hawk, the man who killed a 3-year-old boy while drunk and playing gun games with him Oct. 22, 2014, was sentenced to 10 years in Montana State Prison, 13 additional months in an alcohol-treatment facility, 13 months formal probation and $21,392 in restitution in early August.
Hawk, 27, appeared before Lake County District Court Judge James A. Manley, will serve his sentences consecutively and will face an addition three years probation after his sentence expires for a 2012 driving under the influence, fourth or subsequent offense charge.
September
Ameen Yusuf Omar-El
Convicted sex offender, Ameen Yusuf Omar-El, 51 of Ronan, was arrested and charged with felony assault with a weapon in September after being accused of stabbing a 20-year-old Ronan man.
Omar-El is listed in the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking office
Randal Owens Monday, was informed of his rights and will be processed in Lake County District Court.
Along with his federal sex offender designation.
Omar-El was convicted of felony conviction for Kidnapping in 1997 and of felony aggravated robbery a 2001, both were Minnesota crimes, the Montana Department of Justice registry said.
Omar-El is know to use several alias’ that include:
—El, Ameen Yusef
—Omar, El Ameen Yusef
—Omar, El Ameen Yusuf
—Omar-El, Ameen
—Omarel, Ameen Yusuf
—Square, Pency L
—Square, Percey Louis
—Square, Perey L
October
Tashinia Elida Schlenske and Francis Jackson
Authorities believe that the snow shovel a Martha’s Mini Daycare in Ronan employee used to try and defend the children under her care, is the same snow shovel Tashinia Elida Schlensker used to bludgeon her face.
The incident began Oct. 7 when Francis Jackson and Schlensker went to the daycare center to pick up Jackson’s three biological children, whom are all under four years old, a Lake County Court affidavit said.
But the employee who met Jackson knew his parental custody rights were suspended by Tribal Services, and refused to give him the children.
Jackson also smelled of alcohol, the affidavit said.
Enraged, Jackson yelled at the employee and threatened to assault her, the records said.
The employee was able to get Jackson out of her building and lock him out even though he told the employee he could take his kids.
Once outside, Jackson went to the front of the daycare center and began throwing toys into the picture window of the building in an attempt to re-enter the facility, the affidavit said.
One of those toys was a tricycle, records said.
The employee went outside to defend her children with a snow shovel. And that is when Jackson turned his threats into an assault and began assaulting the employee.
Prosecutors believe that during their struggle, Jackson punched the employee which caused her to lose control of the shovel.
That is when the unknown woman picked up the shovel and hit the employee in the face, the affidavit said.
The employee then fell to the ground.
Jackson and the unknown woman fled the scene in a vehicle, the affidavit said.
She was transported to St. Luke’s Community Hospital with her injuries and received severe facial bruising.
The victim was transported to St. Luke’s Community Hospital for treatment of her injuries. She received severe facial bruising, the affidavit said.
Both accused assailants were taken into custody.
November
Marlo Albia Tonasket
Authorities began hunting for Marlo Albia Tonasket in Novemeber after he arrived at the private home of a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy at 5 a.m. and used a laser light from a firearm or a laser pointer to aim at the deputy’s chest.
The manhunt to find Marlo Albia Tonasket lasted 12 days before his capture Dec. 9. Tonasket is alleged to be found in possession of stolen items when captured.
Tonasket’s Nov. 22 threat against the Sheriff’s deputy took place as the police officer walked from his home in the Ronan area to his marked Lake County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle, Ben Woods, Lake County Undersheriff said in a press release.
“Fearing he was possibly going to be shot, he sought cover and observed that the source of the laser was a vehicle parked at the end of his driveway,” the press release said.
“The deputy then gave chase to the vehicle and the pursuit lasted approximately 10 minutes and reached speeds of 80 miles per hour on paved and gravel county roads.”
The pursuit, which included Lake County Sheriff’s deputies as well as Flathead Tribal police ended on the US Highway 93 Frontage Road in Pablo.
“When the pursuit ended Tonasket, fled on foot and was not captured,” the press release said. “A passenger, Matthew Manyhides of Polson was arrested on outstanding warrants for felony possession of drugs and DUI (driving while under the influence). A female passenger was detained for purposes of investigation, but later released without charges, pending further investigation.”
At presstime, execution of search warrants was underway, and it is still unknown if the source of the laser light was a firearm or a laser pointer, Woods said.
The suspects’ vehicle was searched and no laser pointer or firearm was located, the press release said.
December
Ashley Rae Hewankorn, Charlene Hewankorn and Isaac Fleming
Ashley Rae Hewankorn fired her gun into the shoulder, lung and spine of Karen Finley of Pablo Dec. 14, after Finley exited her house and yelled at Ashley Hewankorn to leave, said Benjamin R. Anciaux, Lake County Deputy Prosecutor said.
Even though the affidavit outlines how Ashley Rae Hewankorn shot her victim, the official Lake County Court papers were filed in regard to Charlene Hewankorn, who was also present during the shooting, and will face four felony charges for her part in the event.
Investigating authorities believe Isaac Fleming, 17 of Ronan is also involved, but is not yet apprehended.
Charlene Hewankorn was taken into custody the day of the shooting. Her two alleged accomplices escaped capture. Ashley Rae Hewankorn was charged with felony burglary, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon along with three felony violation of release charges related to previous plea agreements.
According to Lake County Court records, the series of events that ended with the shooting of Finley began the day before with an argument between Finley’s teenage daughter and Fleming.
Charlene Hewankorn was arrested Dec. 15 and charged with felony assault with a weapon by accountability; felony aggravated assault with a weapon by accountability; and felony aggravated burglary by accountability.
She was held in custody on a $25,000 bail.
Ashley Hewankorn was arrested on Dec. 18 after being spotted by a tipster who called in her location
Fleming was arrested last week.