A woman accused of exchanging gunfire with Flathead Valley law officers last week in Bigfork appeared in Flathead District Court Thursday and entered not guilty pleas to three felony charges.

Awndray Lynn Francisco, 44, of Kalispell, is charged with criminal endangerment and theft, and prosecutors expect to add a charge of assault on a police officer.

Francisco appeared in court while her public defender, William Managhan, and Flathead County Dupty Attorney Stacy Boman appeared telephonically, due to concerns over having too many people in Courtroom 3 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Only defendants in the Flathead County Jail appeared Thursday in court. District Judge Amy Eddy, three bailiffs, a deputy clerk of court and the court reporter were also present, along with a few observers, in the courtroom. Attorneys and other defendants free on bail appeared on a video screen.

Francisco remains in the Flathead County Detention Center on $40,000 bail.

According to law enforcement, Francisco allegedly led authorities on a miles-long, high-speed chase after they allege she stole a work truck from a hotel parking lot near Glacier Park International Airport at about 7:17 a.m. Tuesday, March 24.

Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said officers from his department, along with Kalispell Police and Montana Highway Patrol, first saw the vehicle near the intersection of Conrad Drive and Anderson Lane, and pursued the truck to Bigfork where they stopped it on Grand Avenue in Bigfork, just below the Bigfork Public Schools campus.

When officers attempted to speak with the woman, later identified as Francisco, gunfire erupted.

After it stopped, officers got her out of the truck and medical personnel checked her for injuries. Neither she nor officers were injured in the gun battle.

Court records indicate Francisco has had previous charges for assault with a weapon and writing bad checks.

In 2005, Francisco faced two separate felony charges on the aforementioned incidents.

On the assault charge, in which no details were available, Francisco pleaded guilty to criminal endangerment. She received a five-year suspended sentence.

On the bad check charge, she pleaded guilty to writing dozens of bad checks to various businesses, including bars and casinos, in the Flathead Valley and in Missoula.

She received a six-year deferred sentence for that offense.

Francisco was ordered to pay $7,270.62 in restitution. Part of her sentence was that she was not allowed to gamble or be in casinos, have a credit card or a checking account. She was also ordered to not drink or alcohol or take drugs and she had to attend meetings with groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.

Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or shindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.