Car chase, drugs land Ronan man in jail for five years

A Ronan man was committed in District Court in Polson on Nov. 19 to the Montana Department of Corrections for a total of 10 years with five suspended.

Daylan James Munoz Little, 24, pled guilty during an earlier court appearance to criminal endangerment and criminal possession of dangerous drugs. He received five years on each charge, with one of those terms suspended and to run consecutively.

The plea was entered as part of an agreement that dismisses a second drug possession charge. The charges are from two separate incidents.

According to charging documents, law enforcement was in the Pablo area Feb. 24, when they noticed a large cloud of dust kicked-up by a fast-moving white Cadillac Escalade. The vehicle was driven by Little, who was known by the officers to have a revoked or suspended driver’s license.

The officer’s moved in behind the Escalade as it turned onto N. Reservoir Rd. The Escalade reached up to 100 miles per hour while traveling west in an area marked 35 miles per hour, and the pursuit was on. The chase continued west to Back Rd., passing other motorists and forcing at least one other driver to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway.

Little turned the Escalade onto Back Rd. and traveled south for about a mile, before he stopped. He got out and fled on foot into a field, where he was eventually caught and arrested.

He was in possession of drug paraphernalia that he admitted was used to inhale fentanyl vapors. A preliminary breath test showed Little’s blood alcohol content at .085. He also admitted to officers that the pursuit created a risk to other motorists.

Judge Molly Owen gave Little credit for having already served 146 days in jail.