A little helperDuring the annual National Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, Carter Smith helped out her grandfather Dave Belew who is a letter carrier. She held on to one of the cans of donated food goods which were dropped off at the Deer Lodge Food Pantry throughout the day. See photos page 17.
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Many people voice their dog concernsby Michael Stafford
It was dogs that drew in about a dozen people to the meeting of the city’s public health and safety committee’s meeting last Thursday. Many were motivated to be there because of a recent incident on the city’s west side where a dog was attacked and killed by another dog. While that specific incident was not discussed, there were concerns voiced and two recommendations made to refining the city code. The first recommendation is that dogs must be leashed and not under verbal control. The second is that the committee will take a deeper look into state law regarding vicious dogs and whether dogs in the city can be allowed two free bites before they are designated and confined as vicious or dangerous animals. Before the meeting really got rolling on those topics, the committee discussed the creation of a compliance officer. Council members Rob Kersch and Abby Martin were in attendance as part of the committee and Mayor Caleb Burton was there as well. As for the new position of a compliance officer Kersch, the chair of the committee, explained that they had put out for a request for proposals for entities to operate the city kennel in that aspect and also as a commercial interest. No proposals were received. Instead of creating seventh officer position on the Deer Lodge Police force the recommendation to the council has been changed to create a compliance officer position. That position would perform animal control, ordinance enforcement and look for zoning violations. They would also operate the city kennel which has been out of operation since early 2018. In response to a question Kersch said if the applicant does not have training with animals they will receive it as part of their employment. He also noted all police officers are animal control officers as per state law and should address such issues. Mayor Burton said the new position will merge the roles of animal control and code enforcement, yet will not include administrative duties for the police department and will not be under the direct authority of the police department. see Several page 12 |
Fatal hit and run ends at Racetrackby Michael Stafford
The search for the suspect involved in the fatal hit and run accident in Butte ended Friday evening a few miles south of Deer Lodge. It ended with a suicide. The Racetrack Campground was the location where the driver suspected of fatally hitting and killing a motorcyclist in Butte took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Marcus Sepulveda allegedly struck a motorcyclist on Dewey Boulevard and Lexington Avenue early Friday morning in Butte, causing the motorcyclist’s death. According to news reports the suspect fled the scene after striking the motorcyclist at 1:53 a.m. On Friday Butte police released the name of the suspected driver in the hit and run incident and urged Sepulveda to turn himself into authorities. They also requested help from the public in locating the suspect, who had changed vehicles. On Friday evening the Anaconda Police Department received a call from the Butte Police Department informing them that they received a call from a woman who said she located Sepulveda at the Racetrack Campground. When authorities arrived on scene they found the suspect’s truck. News reports state that 50 yards away was a tent in which Sepulveda’s body was found with the self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to a press release authorities are investigating the matter. |
Jury trial ends with a not guilty verdict
by Michael Stafford
After a day and a half jury trial in Montana’s Third Judicial District Court, Billie Joe Peltier (age 50 of Garrison) was found not guilty of a single charge of felony assault with a weapon. The trial took place over the course of May 6 and 7.
According to court documents, the charge stemmed from an incident on November 15 where a person called 911 reporting Peltier had to be removed from a residence as the defendant had pointed a rifle at him. Law enforcement responded and found Peltier in the garage and a hunting rifle was also found in the structure.
Peltier said he became angry about a neighbor’s dog growling at him and after a verbal argument he had decided to go hunting and had kept the rifle pointed in the air. Others were interviewed and the 911 caller stated Peltier had beat on the ground with a 2x4 piece of lumber threatening harm. When the caller told Peltier to go outside, he allegedly got a rifle and pointed it at hip height and threatened to shoot him.
Peltier pled not guilty to the charge and it moved through the court to the jury trial.
see Man page 13
After a day and a half jury trial in Montana’s Third Judicial District Court, Billie Joe Peltier (age 50 of Garrison) was found not guilty of a single charge of felony assault with a weapon. The trial took place over the course of May 6 and 7.
According to court documents, the charge stemmed from an incident on November 15 where a person called 911 reporting Peltier had to be removed from a residence as the defendant had pointed a rifle at him. Law enforcement responded and found Peltier in the garage and a hunting rifle was also found in the structure.
Peltier said he became angry about a neighbor’s dog growling at him and after a verbal argument he had decided to go hunting and had kept the rifle pointed in the air. Others were interviewed and the 911 caller stated Peltier had beat on the ground with a 2x4 piece of lumber threatening harm. When the caller told Peltier to go outside, he allegedly got a rifle and pointed it at hip height and threatened to shoot him.
Peltier pled not guilty to the charge and it moved through the court to the jury trial.
see Man page 13
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