Montana

Trial of man accused of running down Montana Highway Patrol trooper underway in Libby

Published

7 months ago

April 18, 2024

Trial of man accused of running down Montana Highway Patrol trooper underway in Libby

The trial of a Lincoln County man accused of running over a Montana Highway Patrol trooper during a law enforcement pursuit more than a year ago is underway in Libby.

Jason Allen Miller, 42, is facing felony charges of attempted deliberate homicide, criminal endangerment, aggravated kidnapping, possession of dangerous drugs and criminal mischief following a Feb. 16, 2023, incident in north Lincoln County. Miller pleaded not guilty to the charges, but he remains locked up in the county jail with bail set at $1.5 million.

Trooper Lewis Johnson suffered life-threatening injuries in the incident near Rexford and is still recovering after returning home to Chester in October 2023.

Tuesday was spent selecting a jury of 14, including nine women and five men. Two are alternates.

Wednesday began with opening statements from Assistant Attorney General Thorin Geist, who is prosecuting the case, and defense attorney Daniel Wood.

Geist argued the evidence he and fellow prosecutor Selene Koepke would present would show Miller was aware of the warrant for his arrest and that the defendant wanted to “get away from law enforcement at all costs.”

Wood wanted jurors to consider the question of intent.

“I am focusing on the attempted deliberate homicide charge, the most serious charge, and the difference between intention,” Wood said. ‘We know what happened. Miller struck Trooper Johnson, leaving him partially paralyzed. But what was Jason Miller thinking that day? I don’t envy you that task, but I ask you to keep an open mind.”

Following testimony from Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Clint Heintz about the events of Feb. 16, 2023, Johnson took the stand.

He explained his training, graduating high school in Chester in 2006, graduating from the University of Montana and joining the Montana National Guard where he met and befriended Heintz.

When the chase began, Johnson was within 30 minutes of his shift ending. He said Heintz sought his assistance in the pursuit and he joined it on Montana 37.

After explaining the pursuit continuing on to Camp 32 Road, Johnson testified to his recollection of the moments leading up to him being run over.

“His truck appeared to be stuck, Heintz stopped and I went past and blocked the road and got out,” Johnson said. “At first I couldn’t see the truck and I walked up the left track and my vehicle was behind me. Then the truck was coming toward me. I quickly determined lethal force would be a prudent option.

“There was no waiting, I fired when I knew I was going to be run over,” Johnson said.

After further questioning by Geist, Johnson said he knew a big truck was coming at him, accelerating heavily and was under control.

“I felt my life was in danger,” Johnson said. “To use deadly force, you have to believe your life is in danger.”

Johnson recalled Heintz making the radio call and being taken to the U.S. Forest Service Ranger Station in Eureka for transport to Kalispell by the ALERT helicopter.

When Geist asked him how close he came to dying, Johnson replied, “I came real close.”

Including the severing of vertebrae in his spine, he suffered 22 broken ribs, a broken shoulder, his right lung was punctured and his stomach lining was torn.

Koepke began the prosecution’s case by questioning Heintz. The deputy led the pursuit from Eureka to Camp 32 Road near Lake Koocanusa Bridge. He is credited with helping save Johnson’s life after he was struck by Miller’s truck.

Dash cam footage from Heintz’s patrol vehicle showed the chase from the beginning to the time when Miller struck Johnson. The footage left many observers tearing up and sobbing.

The gallery included many law enforcement officers from the region as well as family members of Johnson and Miller.

Lewis Johnson and his wife, Kate Johnson, also a trooper, comforted each other while the video footage played.

Heintz described the day to the jury following questions from Koepke. He said he was on patrol in Eureka when he encountered Miller’s brother who told him where to find the defendant.

Heintz went to a property owned by Miller’s father. He testified he saw Miller loading tires into the bed of a Chevrolet Silverado truck. When Heintz attempted to contact Miller, video footage showed Miller get into the truck and drive away, followed by Heintz.

The pursuit continued on Montana 37. Heintz said Miller drove at speeds exceeding 100 mph. He testified that he believed Miller endangered the lives of more than 10 people as well as law officers involved in the chase.

Heintz used his public address system multiple times in an effort to get Miller to pull over. He testified that it had worked in the past.

Video footage showed the chase as it left Montana 37 and on to Camp 32 Road. Miller’s vehicle slid on the ice- and snow-covered road. He backed up, then drove toward Johnson’s vehicle.

Heintz saw a muzzle flash of Johnson firing at the pickup from about 15 feet away as Miller drove toward the trooper. Heintz then saw Johnson up on the hood of Miller’s truck before rolling off and under one of the tires. Heintz testified that he believed Miller could have manuevered around Johnson and his patrol vehicle.

The trial will continue Thursday and is expected to last into next week.

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Montana

What’s At Stake For No. 1 NDSU at No. 4 USD & No. 9 Montana at No. 2 Montana State?

Published

45 mins ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

What’s At Stake For No. 1 NDSU at No. 4 USD & No. 9 Montana at No. 2 Montana State?

The FCS playoff picture will take shape with Week 13 games a day before FCS Selection Sunday.

The Top 4 seeds could be pretty clear, depending on results. The Top 5 seeds could also get real messy, depending on results.

Two Top 10-ranked matchups will especially impact the order of the overall Top 8 seeds: No. 1 NDSU at No. 4 USD and No. 9 Montana at No. 2 Montana State.

What does this weekend’s result mean for these four teams and their playoff positioning? We’ll go through the scenarios below.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll say things go chalk and No. 5 UC Davis wins at Sac State and No. 3 SDSU wins at No. 18 Missouri State, which is no guarantee, but they would be big upsets if Davis or SDSU were to lose.

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If Montana State & NDSU Win

NDSU and Montana State should be the Top 2 playoff seeds with home-field advantage.

It will be a healthy discussion in the selection room and during the committee member voting process on who the No. 1 seed is.

NDSU: 11-1 overall, 11-0 vs. the FCS, 5 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 1 strength of schedule
MSU: 12-0 overall, 3 currently-ranked wins, 3 Top 10 wins, FBS win, No. 22 SOS

NDSU has been ranked No. 1 for most of this year, and the committee could have the same mindset as voters, similar to 2022.

Two years ago, Sac State had a better on-paper resume than SDSU, but SDSU, who was ranked No. 1 for most of the season, got the top seed. Sac State was 11-0 with an FBS win, four ranked wins, and the No. 4 SOS. SDSU was 10-1 overall, 10-0 vs. the FCS, three ranked wins, and the No. 5 SOS.

Seeds 3-4 behind NDSU and MSU would probably be SDSU and UC Davis, assuming they win on Saturday.

SDSU: 10-2 overall, 9-1 vs. the FCS, 9 D1 wins, 3 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 3 SOS, FCS loss to NDSU
UC Davis: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 15 SOS, FCS loss to MSU

Mercer, Idaho, or UIW could fight for the No. 5 seed after this.

With a loss, Montana would finish 8-4 overall/vs. the FCS with two currently-ranked wins. The Grizzlies will likely get a 9-16 seed and host a first-round game.

With a loss, USD will be nervously wondering if it’ll get a first-round bye. The Coyotes would finish 8-3 overall with only seven D1 wins and zero currently-ranked victories. How does that stack up to other teams with nine or 10 D1 wins who are fighting for a Top 8 seed? USD’s No. 8 SOS could help its argument, and if it were to lose to NDSU, a close loss would be important for the “eye test” instead of getting blown out.

If Montana State & USD Win

Montana State should jump to the No. 1 seed at 12-0, three currently-ranked wins, three Top 10 wins, and an FBS win.

With a loss, Montana would finish 8-4 overall/vs. the FCS with two currently-ranked wins. The Grizzlies will likely get a 9-16 seed and host a first-round game.

Seeds 2-5 then get very interesting in this scenario. The committee would have to sort through these teams to seed behind Montana State (assuming SDSU and UC Davis win on Saturday):

UC Davis: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 15 SOS, FCS loss to MSU
NDSU: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 4 currently-ranked wins, 1 Top 10 win, No. 1 SOS, FCS loss to USD
USD: 9-2 overall, 8-1 vs. the FCS, 8 D1 wins, 1 currently-ranked win, 1 Top 10 win, No. 8 SOS, FCS loss to SDSU
SDSU: 10-2 overall, 9-1 vs. the FCS, 9 D1 wins, 3 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 3 SOS, FCS loss to NDSU

If Montana & NDSU Win

Montana should get into the Top 8 seeds at 9-3 overall/vs. the FCS with three currently-ranked wins, one Top 10 win, and the No. 18 SOS. The Griz would likely be in the 6-8 seed range.

NDSU should secure the No. 1 seed with a win and a Montana State loss. The Bison would be 11-1 overall, 11-0 vs. the FCS, five currently-ranked wins, two Top 10 wins, and the No. 1 SOS.

Seeds 2-4 then get very interesting in this scenario. The committee would have to sort through these teams to seed behind NDSU (assuming SDSU and UC Davis win on Saturday):

UC Davis: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 15 SOS, FCS loss to MSU
MSU: 11-1 overall, 11 D1 wins, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, FBS win, No. 22 SOS, FCS loss to Montana
SDSU: 10-2 overall, 9-1 vs. the FCS, 9 D1 wins, 3 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 3 SOS, FCS loss to NDSU

Mercer, Idaho, or UIW could fight for the No. 5 seed after this.

If Montana & USD Win

Montana should get into the Top 8 seeds at 9-3 overall/vs. the FCS with three currently-ranked wins, one Top 10 win, and the No. 18 SOS. The Griz would likely be in the 6-8 seed range.

Seeds 1-5 would be an absolute battle in this scenario. The committee would have to sort through these teams to seed the Top 5 (assuming SDSU and UC Davis win on Saturday):

UC Davis: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 15 SOS, FCS loss to MSU
MSU: 11-1 overall, 11 D1 wins, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, FBS win, No. 22 SOS, FCS loss to Montana
SDSU: 10-2 overall, 9-1 vs. the FCS, 9 D1 wins, 3 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 3 SOS, FCS loss to NDSU
NDSU: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 4 currently-ranked wins, 1 Top 10 win, No. 1 SOS, FCS loss to USD
USD: 9-2 overall, 8-1 vs. the FCS, 8 D1 wins, 1 currently-ranked win, 1 Top 10 win, No. 8 SOS, FCS loss to SDSU

Uffda. Good luck!

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Montana

Pregnant Montana Brown shows off her blossoming baby bump in a stylish green bikini as she prepares to welcome her baby girl

Published

8 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Pregnant Montana Brown shows off her blossoming baby bump in a stylish green bikini as she prepares to welcome her baby girl

Montana Brown showed off her blossoming baby bump in a series of vacation snaps on Thursday.

The former Love Island star, 29, who is expecting her second child with fiancé Mark O’Connor, displayed her growing bump in a stylish green bikini which consisted of a triangle bikini top and a pair of tie-side bikini bottoms.

Cradling her bump, the TV star further accessorised her pool-side look with a pair of cool shades.

The mother-of-one captioned the gorgeous snaps with: ‘Not long Babygirl (heart emoji)’

Fans and close friends of the star then flocked to the comment section to pay their compliments.

One fan wrote: ‘A real life angel!!!’; ‘Gorgeous glowing mama’; ‘Feels like yesterday baby Jude was in there!!’

Pregnant Montana Brown showed off her blossoming baby bump while wearing a bikini in a series of vacation snaps on Thursday

The former Love Island star, 29, is expecting her second child with fiancé Mark O’Connor

Montana announced she was pregnant with her second child in July and took to her Instagram to share the happy news with her 1.1 million followers.

She displayed her tummy in a chic knit dress and cradled her stomach as she smiled for the camera in the clip.

Confirming that she is expecting again with her rugby player fiancé Mark, Montana wrote: ‘Two under two let’s go!’

Montana and Mark welcomed their first child, a son named Jude, in June last year and announced they were expecting again just 13 months later.

The couple travelled to Santorini after they enjoyed a week-long holiday with their son Jude in Montenegro and shared updates from their sun-soaked trip.

The reality personality was flooded with congratulatory messages from her famous friends and Instagram followers.

Gabby Allen, who appeared on her series of Love Island, wrote: ‘Omgggg.’

While fellow Love Island alum, Tasha Ghouri said: ‘Ahh!! Congratulations!’

The mother-of-one captioned the gorgeous snaps with: ‘Not long Babygirl (heart emoji)’

Samira Mighty penned: ‘Ahhhh.’

Food influencer Emily English posted a series of clapping hands while Tiffany Watson and Natalya Wright both said ‘congratulations’.

Other stars who shared their support included Vicky Pattison, Danielle Lloyd, Grace Beverley, Kendall Rae Knight and Elle Brown.

Earlier this year, Montana celebrated the joys and sorrows of motherhood as she paid tribute to her baby son Jude in a heartfelt Instagram post.

Montana reflected on her pregnancy journey seven months after her little one was born – as she shared her emotional thoughts with her followers.

She detailed the highs and lows of the ‘humbling’ experience, admitting she was always ‘one comment away from having a meltdown’ but it also made her ‘respect her body so much more’.

Sharing a throwback picture of when she was seven months pregnant, she showed off her baby bump in a red bikini.

Montana was seen posing on a lavish terrace while soaking up the sun, adding a stylish straw hat and chic shades.

Montana announced she was pregnant with her second child in July and took to her Instagram to share the happy news with her 1.1 million followers

Montana and Mark welcomed their first child, a son named Jude, in June last year and announced they were expecting again just 13 months later

In the second shot, she displayed her growing baby bump in the same beach set while smiling happily in a mirror selfie.

The TV star added a few heart-melting pictures of little Jude to her carousel, accompanied by a lengthy caption: ‘7 months in vs 7 months out.’

‘I actually LOVED being pregnant, it was such a special experience and it really made me respect my body so much more I’m still in awe.’

‘This chapter has been hard, the lack of sleep etc is so tough, I legit cried when someone beeped me in the car recently and I always feel one beep or one comment away from having a meltdown but it’s such a humbling experience.’

She went on saying: ‘I am in awe of the mums that do it on their own, don’t have family around to support and who just don’t get a break because I am so fortunate to have support around me and I am STILL in the thick of it..’

The Love Islander finished gushing over her tiny one: ‘But despite how tired I have been, Jude gets me through, his smile first thing in the morning is just priceless.’

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Montana

Cover Montana explains the importance of open enrollment

Published

16 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Cover Montana explains the importance of open enrollment

HELENA — It is open enrollment for health insurance through the HealthCare.gov Marketplace.

People can apply or reapply for coverage until January 15, 2025, or they may have to wait until November 2025 to apply again.

Last year, 30 percent of Montanans got a plan for $10 per month through the marketplace.

Cover Montana is a project of the Montana Primary Care Association, a nonprofit organization with a federal grant to help underserved communities, consumers, and small businesses find and enroll in quality, affordable health coverage through HealthCare.gov, the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Olivia Riutta, the director of population health of the Montana Primary Care Association shared the importance of open enrollment for Montanans.

“It is the annual opportunity to update your applications and make sure your income is correct and then to ensure that you have a plan that really meets both your monthly budget and your health needs for 2025,” Riutta says.

Cover Montana Navigators can provide phone and virtual assistance statewide through the Cover Montana Help Line: (406) 634-3105 or (844) 682-6837. In-person enrollment assistance is available in many areas, including Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Missoula, Dillon, Kalispell, and Miles City.

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