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Elusive suspect pleads not guilty

Jesse Davis | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 10 months AGO
by Jesse Davis
| January 16, 2014 8:00 PM

A Kalispell man facing charges related to a pursuit by law enforcement has pleaded not guilty to two new charges connected with his continued attempt to evade Flathead County deputies.

Ryan Denny, 30, is alleged to have tried to steal a 2011 Chevy pickup in the parking lot of the Evergreen Kmart on Sept. 18, 2013. He reportedly was run off by an employee before fleeing in another vehicle.

Denny allegedly led police on a chase through Kalispell and out of town on U.S. 2 West, eventually getting stuck on logging road in a heavily wooded area off Spruce Hollow Trail. He is then alleged to have fled on foot, escaping from police.

A search of the vehicle allegedly turned up four methamphetamine pipes, one marijuana pipe, methamphetamine residue and multiple pills.

A court document in the new case alleges that deputies went to a U.S. 2 East trailer four days later in an attempt to arrest him on a felony warrant stemming from the chase.

Once they arrived, the document states, a man ran up and said Denny had forced his way into the man’s home and locked himself inside. The deputies then forced the front door and found Denny hiding behind clothes in a closet.

Denny allegedly refused to follow the deputies’ commands, struggling with them until one of the deputies used a Taser, at which point a plastic baggie fell out of Denny’s hand. The baggie was allegedly found to contain methamphetamine.

The court document also claims that, after being detained, Denny repeatedly asked one of the deputies whether he had any daughters and where he spent his time off-duty.

Denny was preliminarily charged with burglary, possession of dangerous drugs, criminal mischief, theft, and resisting arrest. However, the Flathead County Attorney’s Office chose to officially charge Denny with felony drug possession and misdemeanor criminal mischief.

The new case, not filed until December, charges Denny with an additional felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

Denny previously was charged in 2011 with felony criminal mischief and misdemeanor obstructing a peace officer, but later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor criminal mischief for slashing all four tires, denting the hood and kicking in the windshield of a vehicle belonging to a woman who came by his house accompanied by his wife.

It also alleged that during later contact with a Kalispell police officer in which he was told to drop what he was holding and get on his knees he replied “(expletive) you. I didn’t do anything. (expletive) you cop, shoot me.”

Denny then allegedly led that officer and several others on a foot chase before they apprehended him.

He was also charged with felony robbery and misdemeanor drunk driving in 2008, but both charges were dismissed.

If convicted of all his new charges, Denny faces up to 10 years in the Montana State Prison, one year in the Flathead County Detention Center and a fine of up to $102,000, as well as any restitution.

Denny is currently incarcerated in the county jail, where his bond is set at $40,000. His next hearing is set for Jan. 24.

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