A Kalispell man wanted for questioning regarding a Nov. 14 high-speed chase from Kalispell to within a few miles of Polson has been arrested after attempting to elude police in Missoula.

Zachary James Bergman, 22, was arrested Monday after officers followed information provided to them by OnStar dispatchers regarding a stolen vehicle, according to the Missoula Police Department. When the officers found the vehicle in a Walmart parking lot, Bergman was the only occupant.

Bergman then fled the vehicle on foot and headed into a residential area. Meadowhill and Cold Springs schools were locked down during the foot chase and a perimeter was set. After searching the area yard by yard, officers located Bergman hiding in a small shed in the 4200 block of South Reserve Street.

He was taken into custody with only light resistance and transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility, where he is being held for felony theft and burglary, and misdemeanor offenses including criminal trespass to a vehicle, theft and obstructing a police officer.

Bergman appeared in court Thursday afternoon, where a judge set his bail at $50,000.

Further evidence has been recovered, suggesting that Bergman was involved in other crimes in Missoula, according to the Missoula Police Department.

The arrest marks the most recent in a long line of troubles for Bergman, according to Flathead County Probation and Parole Officer Scott Brotnov.

Bergman was given a six-month deferred sentence in October 2008 after pleading guilty to felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor driving under the influence.

The plea saved him from more severe punishment on his original charges of felony burglary, two counts of felony theft, two counts of felony criminal mischief and misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, attempting to elude a police officer and reckless driving.

While on probation on that charge he absconded and traveled to Oregon, where he was involved in several burglaries and ended up in the Oregon State Prison.

After being released from prison, Bergman was brought back to Flathead County for violating his probation on his 2008 convictions. He then was sentenced to 10 years with five years suspended.

“It was recommended that he go to the intensive supervision program,” Brotnov said. “It is a phase program with three phases of 60 days each. The first phase includes GPS ankle bracelet monitoring.”

During the first phase, the offender must attend treatment groups and search for a job. They are only allowed certain amounts of time away from their home and must earn any extra time.

Bergman completed that phase without any problems and had his ankle bracelet removed, beginning the second phase.

“Within probably that first week he picked up some minor violations that we just found out about through a third party attempting to contact and locate him,” Brotnov said. “The next thing we know he’s doing some major violations.”

Bergman is on a no-bond hold for violations of his conditional release, Brotnov said.

“He’ll stay incarcerated unless he escapes from an institution,” he said. “The likelihood is we’ll go through a disciplinary process, then we make a decision on incarceration placement. There’s a fairly good chance — because he has a number of new felonies pending — that his placement will be in the Montana State Prison, then he’ll be brought back for the new crimes.”

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said his office’s work related to the Nov. 14 chase likely will continue even while Bergman is being held in Missoula.

“We may well have officers go down there to talk to him about our stuff,” Curry said. “That oftentimes is easier for the sake of expediency, and it’s nice to resolve things like that quickly. However, he may or may not want to talk to us. We’ll work in cooperation with Missoula to facilitate those interviews.”

On Thursday in Flathead County District Court, Nicole Jo Lee Brick, the 19-year-old Kalispell woman arrested following the chase, pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of burglary and two felony charges of theft stemming from the incident. She is being held in the Flathead County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.