Flathead County District Court Judge Danni Coffman increased bail for a man who  allegedly ran a red light and rammed his stolen pickup truck into a standout Columbia Falls cross country runner causing her severe injuries.

After a bail reduction hearing Monday afternoon, Coffman increased Alfred Chester Flamond’s bail from $200,000 to $500,000. Flamond, 34, of Browning, appearing with public defender Nick Aemisegger, asked Coffman to be released on his own recognizance so he could seek treatment for substance abuse.

On Jan. 9 Flamond, driving an allegedly stolen Dodge Durango from the Town Pump gas station in Evergreen, drove at speeds of up to 90 mph to Columbia Falls on Highway 2. Police here  initiated a short chase as he drove through Columbia Falls, but he ran the red light at the intersection of Highways 2 and 206 and slammed into a car driven by 16-year-old Hazel Alexander, the top runner for the Columbia Falls girls cross country team.

She suffered numerous injuries including a including a ruptured spleen (which had to be removed), a broken femur, broken jaw, shattered pelvis, and had strokes in both hemispheres, a full one in the right hemisphere and a partial in the left hemisphere of her brain.

Alexander was life flighted to Harborview Medical Center for treatment of her injuries and is making a rather remarkable recovery. She attended the bail hearing along with her family, friends, coaches, medical staff, lawmakers and law enforcement. The courthouse was packed with people showing their support, filling a second courtroom where they watched the proceedings via Zoom.

Her father, Simon Alexander, took the stand and detailed her injuries to Flathead County Attorney Travis Ahner.

Ahner asked Alexander what he felt Flamond’s bond should be. While Alexander noted that it was difficult for him to say as he wasn’t an expert in the matter, he thought $200,000 “was rather light.”

Alexander noted “it could have been anybody ... It happened to be my daughter,” later adding, “He would be grossly concerned for the community if Flamond was released.”

Coffman noted Flamond’s previous criminal record. By his own admission he had at least 20 misdemeanor arrests for theft and had recently pleaded guilty to felony counts of possession of dangerous drugs after his arrest by Kalispell Police Aug. 16, 2025, according to court documents.

According to the criminal complaint, Flamond was found trespassing at Town Pump on West Reserve Drive. Police found methamphetamine in his backpack. Then when he was booked into the Flathead County Detention Center, they found meth in his pocket.

He posted $20,000 bond on Aug. 19 and was supposed to go to drug treatment on Sept. 23, 2025. But he didn’t go and was later picked up for misdemeanor theft in Bozeman, where he eventually ended up back in the Flathead County Jail after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Flamond reached a plea agreement on the drug charges Dec. 4 then, on Christmas Eve, 2025, Flamond was once again released on his own recognizance. The prosecution at the time did not oppose the motion for his release. He was also supposed to enter drug treatment, but never did. Instead he allegedly stole the Durango Jan. 9 and the fateful wreck ensued.

Adhering to the previous plea agreement for the 2025 drug charges, Flamond was sentenced by District Court Judge Heidi Ulbricht March 9 to a three-year suspended sentence as well as probation.

He was also prohibited from using alcohol or drugs and had to submit to alcohol and drug testing as well as other counseling and evaluations.

Flamond was arraigned Monday after the bail hearing and pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the chase and accident, including felony fleeing and eluding, felony criminal endangerment, felony theft of a light vehicle and negligent vehicle assault.

If convicted on all counts, Flamond faces 40 years in prison, Ahner noted.

Flamond was remanded back to the Flathead County Detention Center.