A Libby woman is facing a felony charge after authorities say she stole  a pickup truck last month before abandoning it on Pipe Creek Road.

Janelle Doubek, 40, appeared in Lincoln County District Court on June 30 and pleaded not guilty to one count of theft - unauthorized control of property exceeding $1,500.

Her next court hearing is set for Sept. 8

According to the probable cause statement by county deputy Andrew Smith, dispatch received a request for a welfare check on a woman walking in the middle of Pipe Creek Road near mile marker 5 at about 3:49 p.m. Tuesday, June 30.

Capt. Brandon Huff responded, but didn’t find the woman. He did, however, find an abandoned 1979 Ford pickup in the southbound lane, blocking traffic. 

When Huff contacted the owner of the truck, he was unaware the truck had been removed from the property. He also suggested Doubek could be responsible for the theft.

Later, when the owner was returning to Libby, he saw the accused walking west on U.S. 2 near Pival Electric. Deputy Smith caught up with the woman, saw that she matched the description of the woman on Pipe Creek Road and learned she was Janelle Doubek.

When Smith asked her about the pickup, she said, “she was kind of an  (expletive), I didn’t have a way into town so I stole my mom and (victim’s) truck and tried to drive it into town.”

Doubek was then arrested.

When deputy Smith spoke to the owners of the truck, they said Janelle didn’t have permission to take the vehicle.

The maximum sentence for a conviction on the charge is 10 years in the Montana State Prison.