Cross country team will have 24-hour run this Friday to raise funds for teammate injured in awful wreck

They’re putting their feet, legs and lungs to work to help a recovering teammate.

On Friday, Jan. 23, from 4 p.m. to Saturday, Jan. 24 at 4 p.m., there will be a 24-hour continuous run fundraiser at the Columbia Falls High School Track (610 13th Street West), for Hazel Alexander and her family by the cross country team.

On Jan. 9, Alexander, a junior at Columbia Falls High School and a veteran member of the cross country team was T-boned at intersection of Highways 2 and 206 by a man allegedly driving a stolen Dodge Durango.

The driver of the vehicle, Alfred Chester Paul Flamond, 34, of Kalispell, was going roughly 80 miles per hour when the collision occurred.

Alexander sustained many life-threatening injuries, including a removed spleen, broken femur, broken jaw, shattered pelvis, and had a stroke. 

The Columbia Falls cross country team is putting on the fundraiser with Alexander’s favorite sport in mind: running. The team is going to have at least one member running on the track at all times. To raise funds, they are asking people to offer a pledge per number of total laps the team completes, or they suggest offering a straight donation amount.

Everyone from the community is encouraged to come join in for a few laps in support (community laps do not count towards the total). 

People do not need to run. Lights will illuminate the track during night hours. Everyone is encouraged to bring a family member or invite a friend.

There will be a tent set up by the track which will provide refreshments and portable toilets near the track.

There will be a donation box down at the high school track. All proceeds from the fundraiser will directly benefit the Alexander family.  

In addition to the Columbia Falls Cross Country team’s fundraiser, community members have also started a Give Send Go campaign to raise money for her treatment. If you cannot attend the team’s event, the team encourages people to donate to that fund at www.givesendgo.com (search for Hazel Alexander).

To date, $60,000 has been raised toward a $75,000 goal.

Meanwhile, more details have been released in the incident. According to a motion for leave to file information filed last week in Flathead County District Court, Flamond allegedly stole the Durango from the Town Pump in Evergreen, which was left running while the driver went inside of the store to make a purchase.

About a minute after hearing the report of the stolen vehicle, a Columbia Falls Police officer observed the Durango heading east on Highway 2 going about 20 mph over the speed limit.

The officer activated his lights and tried to make a stop near Station 8. The Durango initially moved over to the outside lane, but then sped up to 65 mph in a 45 mph zone and then began weaving, crossing from the outside lane through the inside lane and almost through the center turn lane. As the Durango approached the intersection of Highway 2 East and Highway 206, the Durango weaved back into the inside lane of travel. As the traffic light changed from green to red, the officer noted that the Durango’s brake lights only briefly illuminated, indicating that Flamond was not going to attempt to slow down or stop at the intersection. The officer changed his siren sounds in an attempt to alert any other drivers that the Durango was going to run the red light.

At the intersection of Highway 2 and 206, Alexander’s car was making a left hand turn onto Highway 2, as it had the green light,

Flamond ran the light, which, according to police car camera footage, had been red approximately five seconds before the collision. Flamond ran into the driver’s side door of Alexander’s car. She was the lone occupant and had numerous injuries.

Police obtained a warrant to take a blood draw from Flamond, as he refused to give one.

Flamond faces felony counts of fleeing or eluding a police officer, criminal endangerment and theft of a light vehicle.

He is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 29 in Flathead County District Court.

Bail was set at $200,000.

Flamond has two pending felony cases for possession of dangerous drugs in Flathead County. 

In the last six months Flamond has been arrested six times by the Kalispell Police Department and three times by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, according to court documents.