Montana
Montana de Oro standoff suspect allegedly stole U.S. military-procured truck

August 1, 2024
By JOSH FRIEDMAN
The suspect who engaged in a multi-hour standoff with law enforcement at Montana de Oro State Park on Wednesday allegedly stole a transport vehicle that was procured by the United States military and is designed to carry M1 Abrams tanks.
On Wednesday, a witness reported a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot off Los Osos Valley Road in Los Osos. Deputies arrived and the driver, later identified as 63-year-old Patrick Kevin VanNess of Los Angeles, then fled to Montana de Oro State Park, broke through a gate and ended up in the Sandspit Beach area.
Deputies tried to contact VanNess, but he refused commands to exit the truck. After VanNess refused to leave the truck, detail members sprayed tear gas inside the vehicle, and the suspect got out of the truck.
Deputies booked VanNess in San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of obstructing or resisting a public officer, fleeing a peace officer while reckless driving with disregard, no evidence of current vehicle registration, vandalism, driving without a license, obstructing or resisting an executive officer and burglary.
On Thursday, the sheriff’s office announced that its detectives confirmed the vehicle involved in the incident is a M1070 Heavy Equipment Transport vehicle that was designed for the United States military. The vehicle was manufactured earlier this year and was then stolen in transit prior to being delivered to the military in Southern California, according to the sheriff’s office.
Valued at more than $500,000, the M1070 is specifically used to transport M1 Abrams tanks.
The M1070 that VanNess allegedly stole became stuck in the sand at Montana de Oro several times due to its weight and size. On Thursday, sheriff’s deputies managed to remove the vehicle from the beach at Montana de Oro with assistance from California State Parks and California Army National Guard personnel.
Sheriff’s officials say VanNess will be charged with theft of the vehicle. An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
VanNess is currently being held in SLO County Jail with his bail set at $80,000.

Montana
Montana Lottery Lucky For Life, Lotto America results for May 21, 2025
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at May 21, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from May 21 drawing
08-23-32-40-45, Lucky Ball: 18
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from May 21 drawing
01-14-15-19-31, Star Ball: 09, ASB: 03
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 21 drawing
02-06-08-15, Bonus: 03
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from May 21 drawing
14-23-26-36-42
Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Montana
Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Lucky For Life results for May 20, 2025
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at May 20, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 20 drawing
18-30-33-55-64, Mega Ball: 11
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from May 20 drawing
05-06-16-29-34, Lucky Ball: 08
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 20 drawing
01-15-20-25, Bonus: 12
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Montana
Montana Viewpoint: The Big (true) Beautiful (not really) Bill

Jim Elliott
After all the concern about runaway government spending and the hand wringing about the budget deficit why on earth would Congress want to pass a tax bill that cuts taxes for the 400-plus American billionaires, pays for it by penalizing sick and lower income people and STILL increases the deficit by $3 trillion?
And, why on earth would the administration want to cut the IRS, the people that actually collect the taxes and root out tax fraud?
There’s an easy answer—to cut government by lowering the amount of money available to spend.
And that doesn’t sound like a bad thing until you look at what the American people ask government to do. When I talked to people who decried government spending years ago, I would ask them what government programs that they used would they recommend for elimination. Oh, well, that’s different. Ask your own self that question.
There is, and has been for a long time, a movement that wants to reduce government to the point where they can “drown it in a bathtub”. That’s a cute way to put it, but they are serious and now they are being successful. The reason for doing that is to get government out of the way and let them make as much money as they want.
Billionaires don’t need government like regular people do. They do not need government health care insurance, they do not have to rely on local police, they can pay out of their own vast wealth for all the things that regular people need. They can hire their own security, live in gated communities, keep a doctor on their personal staff. Well, good for them, but why should they make it hard for the rest of us?
It is hard to find a calm analysis of the “Big Beautiful Bill” Most of the Republicans think it is wonderful, for the Democrats it will be the end of the world as we know it. In truth, there will be tax advantages for most people, but there will also be increased hardship for those Americans who are sick and poor. The “deserving” sick or poor, I mean.
There will be work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP (which used to be called food stamps). That’s to lower the cost to the government and to cut down on fraud. Perhaps that’s to make being sick and hungry more attractive. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana has claimed that there is an annual $50 billion in “fraudulent payments” to Medicaid. But that flies in the face of reality because such fraud as is being committed is committed by Medicaid providers, not patients. At the same time the President is cutting the number of Inspectors General who are the people who are supposed to ride herd on fraud. All this from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
So, America’s taxpayers with incomes over a million dollars a year will get a huge tax cut. They already award themselves an estimated $150 billion a year through tax evasion according to the IRS. In 2022 (the last year for which I can find information) the IRS estimated that there was $609 billion lost to tax evaders. Collecting that would offset the projected deficit in the bill in five years.
We will see what we will get, but I will always be amazed at those American billionaires for whom too much is not enough.
Montana Viewpoint has appeared in weekly and online newspapers across Montana for over 30 years. Jim Elliott served sixteen years in the Montana Legislature as a state representative and state senator. He lives on his ranch in Trout Creek.
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