A 34-year-old male transient was arrested for assault on a peace officer and a litany of other charges on Wednesday, Aug. 11 following a pursuit in a stolen vehicle in Columbia Falls, according to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies found Nicholas E. Jones at Last Best Storage on Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. where he was sleeping in the stolen vehicle.
Since Jones had a recent history of threatening law enforcement and leading deputies on dangerous pursuits, officers placed vehicles in front and behind of the stolen truck along with a tire deflation device.
Deputies attempted communication with Jones to talk him out of the vehicle, but he rammed two patrol vehicles, and a pursuit began and lasted a short distance until officers performed a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT).
Jones lost control of the vehicle and crashed near Bad Rock Fire Department. He refused to exit the truck when ordered by deputies.
Patrol deputies, a K9 deputy and SWAT officers arrested Jones, who was transported to the hospital and was treated and released for injuries sustained from the vehicle accident and a bite from the apprehension K9.
Additional charges include assault with a weapon, theft of a motor vehicle, eluding, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, felony probation violation warrant out of Powell County and misdemeanor warrant out of Kalispell Police Department.