A Kalispell man accused of vandalizing a van and lighting his ex-girlfriend's belongings on fire in the middle of a city street in the summer of 2025 was ordered to pay restitution late last year.  

Prosecutors brought Cole Alexander Bartel, 36, up on a felony count of criminal mischief and misdemeanor negligent arson following a series of incidents that eventually led Kalispell Police officers to his front door in the early morning hours of July 1, 2025. Bartel pleaded not guilty at his July 18 arraignment in Flathead County District Court but accepted a deal in December.  

In exchange for guilty pleas to negligent arson and an amended misdemeanor count of criminal mischief, prosecutors agreed to recommend he pay restitution and receive a pair of suspended six-month sentences. Judge Danni Coffman stuck to the terms of the deal at Bartel's Dec. 4 sentencing, giving him credit for one day of time served and ordering him to pay $1,000 in restitution.  

The first call to the authorities regarding Bartel came into the Kalispell Police Department about 11:54 p.m., June 30 when a man reported the driver of a blue pickup truck loudly revving the engine, according to court documents.  

About an hour later, officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Third Avenue West for a report of a man banging at the door. A woman in the home suspected the culprit was Bartel, who was her roommates' ex-boyfriend, court documents said. 

Just minutes later, officers were sent to Fifth Avenue West where a 1300 block resident allegedly had started a fire in the middle of the road before walking back inside his home. Arriving officers saw that a pile of women's clothing and purses had been set ablaze and extinguished the fire. Authorities found more garments scattered on the ground and a trashcan filled with women's clothing across the street.  

Spotting a blue truck linked to Bartel, officers knocked on a nearby door and arrested an allegedly drunk Bartel when he greeted them. He acknowledged making a mistake and said he was sorry, eventually admitting to burning his ex-girlfriend's belongings, court documents said.  

Investigators later linked Bartel to a vandalized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van parked on the 500 block of Fifth Avenue West, according to court documents. The owner discovered the vandalism, which included damaged windows, a broken taillight and a bloody fist print, and phoned the authorities about 4:49 a.m. Officials estimated the damage at more than $2,500. 

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 406-758-4430 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.