Man pleads not guilty to theft, drug charges
Daily Inter Lake | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years AGO
A Eureka man on Monday pleaded not guilty to felony theft and drug possession.
Ryan Andrew Byrd, 32, in District Court on Monday pleaded not guilty to theft and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, both felonies. If convicted, he faces a maximum 15 years in state prison and a maximum $100,000 in fines.
Byrd was charged in September after police allegedly found him in possession of a stolen vehicle and drug paraphernalia.
On Sept. 21, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Dan Holskey reported identifying a black pickup in a Eureka driveway with license plates that indicated the vehicle had been stolen from Flathead County. When Holskey approached Byrd about the vehicle, he allegedly told Holskey he had received the pickup about a month earlier as collateral for money a woman owed him. Byrd allegedly said he had painted the pickup black after it came into his possession.
According to court documents, the theft report from Flathead County was filed a month earlier, about the same time that Byrd allegedly told Holskey he had received the pickup.
When Holskey reached out to the woman who filed the stolen vehicle report, she allegedly told Holskey she didn’t know Byrd and had not given him the vehicle for any reason. She also told Holskey the pickup was white when she saw it last, according to court documents.
On the same day, law enforcement officials allegedly found a metal spoon in Byrd’s backpack. A white powdery substance found on the spoon tested positive for methamphetamine, according to court documents.
ARTICLES BY DAILY INTER LAKE
No headline
The Kalispell Lakers’ annual Batter Up Bash fundraiser begins Friday at 5 p.m., with keynote speakers Jack Morris and Dan Gladden on hand.
No headline
Climate change awards announced
Climate Smart Glacier Country announced its Climate Smart Champions during a ceremony at the Earth Day celebration April 21 in Whitefish. Awards were presented to businesses, youth and an individual who are leaders in building local solutions to climate change challenges.
No headline
LIBBY – Libby’s Caden Williams scored 14 points and Keith Johnson poured in seven of his nine points in the final quarter to help the Loggers hold off Eureka in non-conference boys’ basketball Thursday, 49-40.