A Kalispell man accused of breaking into at least six Bigfork businesses in 2014 has pleaded no contest to charges of accountability to deceptive practices and criminal endangerment.
Shane Christensen appeared in Flathead County District Court on May 21, about two months after he was initially set to change his plea before changing his mind at the last second.
According to court documents, in February 2014 Christensen and Severin Gislason were each charged with six counts of burglary and one count of deceptive practices, all felonies, after police arrested the two following a string of burglaries. The two men allegedly broke into and took cash and items from Bigfork United Rentals, the Senior Center, Albiero Chiropractic, Waterstreet Company, Clayton’s Dentist Office and Nelson Electric.
Among the items the two reportedly stole was a credit card. Police were able to track the card as the two men used it. Officers then recovered video footage of the suspects and, with the help of the public, identified them within a few days. The two men were later charged with six counts of burglary and one count of deceptive practices each. In November, Gislason accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to burglary and deceptive practices. The judge imposed a five-year deferred sentence for both charges to run consecutively.
In November, Christensen was also charged with criminal endangerment following a car wreck in July when he was driving nearly 120 miles per hour in Kalispell. Christensen lost control of the vehicle and it reportedly flipped three times before landing on all four tires. One of the passengers in the car was ejected in the wreck and broke her tibia, fibula, sternum back and neck in the accident.
In February, Christensen’s attorneys and persecutors crafted a plea agreement where all six charges of burglary would be dropped in exchange for a no contest plea to the felony charge of criminal endangerment and the amended charge of accountability to deceptive practices. However, before his change of plea hearing in March, Christensen changed his mind and wanted to go ahead with the trial, which was then scheduled for August.
Christensen again changed his mind and agreed to the plea agreement. In exchange for his plea of no contest, the state will recommend a 10 year deferred sentence. Christensen is set to appear in court for sentencing in August 6.