Flathead County District Court Judge Danni Coffman on Monday increased bail for a man who allegedly ran a red light and rammed his stolen pickup truck into a vehicle driven by a Columbia Falls girl, causing her severe injuries.

At the bail reduction hearing, Coffman increased Alfred Chester Flamond’s bail from $200,000 to $500,000. Flamond, 34, of Browning, appearing with public defender Nick Aemisegger, asked 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. Columbia Falls Police initiated a short chase as he drove through the city, but he ran the red light at the intersection of U.S. 2 and Montana 206 and slammed into a car driven by 16-year-old Hazel Alexander, a top runner for the Columbia Falls girls cross-country team.

She suffered numerous injuries including a including a ruptured spleen, a broken femur, broken jaw, shattered pelvis, and had strokes in both hemispheres of her brain.

Alexander was flown to Harborview Medical Center for treatment and is in recovery. She attended the bail hearing along with her family and friends, coaches, lawmakers and law enforcement. The courthouse was packed with people showing support, filling a second courtroom where they watched the proceedings via Zoom.

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

Ahner asked him 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 two felony counts of possession of dangerous drugs after his arrest by Kalispell Police on Aug. 16, 2025, according to court documents.

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

He posted $20,000 bond on Aug. 19 and was scheduled to go to drug treatment on Sept. 23, 2025. He did not attend drug treatment and was later picked up for misdemeanor theft in Bozeman, where he eventually ended up back in the Flathead County Detention Center 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 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.

He allegedly stole the Durango and crashed into Hazel Alexander 16 days later.

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 also arraigned Monday 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.

Editor Chris Peterson can be reached at 406-892-2151 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at hungryhorsenews.com/support.