The 12-year-old Hungry Horse boy who escaped Aug. 29 from the Flathead County Juvenile Detention Center now faces escape and criminal mischief charges as well as new criminal allegations.

That means the youth is being charged with a total of seven felonies and 13 misdemeanors.

James Smith already was charged with four felonies and 11 misdemeanors when he apparently escaped from the detention center by climbing across ceiling beams of the recreation room and bending out a piece of metal, climbing to the roof and then dropping to the ground.

A court document states a detention officer noticed Smith was missing and searched the building for him. When Smith did not turn up, officers locked down the facility and counted heads, confirming Smith’s absence.

Roughly three hours later in Evergreen, he was apprehended without incident.

The flight led to a felony escape charge and a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge being leveled against Smith. The criminal mischief charge came as the result of the damage done to the metal sheeting, which has since been repaired with a piece of steel.

The day before the escape charge was filed, new charges against Smith were filed based on the theft of a motorcycle between Aug. 22 and Aug. 25, plus an Aug. 25 incident at Tamarack Lodge.

Smith was charged with a felony count of burglary and a misdemeanor count of theft for allegedly stealing the motorcycle and a felony count of attempted burglary for trying to break into Tamarack Lodge near Martin City by prying at a screen with a knife.

A person inside the room moved the curtain and saw him, at which point Smith allegedly fled, dropping the knife and leaving a footprint on a folding chair. The footprint was later matched to one of Smith’s shoes.

Smith now is facing seven felonies and 13 misdemeanors: three felony counts of burglary, two felony counts of theft, a felony count of attempted burglary, a felony count of escape, nine misdemeanor counts of theft and four misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief.

The alleged crimes that led to the first 15 charges against Smith occurred between April 27 and June 6. Also accused in some of those crimes are Mathew Hauck, 15, a relative of Smith, and Skyla Komeotis, 16.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at [email protected].