Kidnapping suspect found in crawlspace

An 18-year-old Whitefish man has been charged with felony charges of criminal endangerment, stalking and intimidation and a misdemeanor charge of unlawful restraint following the alleged abduction of his estranged girlfriend on Oct. 1.

According to reports, Jeremiah Sovine followed his former girlfriend after she left work and then forced her into his car near Stampede Square on Baker Avenue. The 18-year-old woman's vehicle was later found still running with her purse in it in a parking lot there.

At that point, Sovine sped across town, reaching speeds of 60 to 100 mph. Slowing down by the high school, the woman was able to open a door and escape from the moving vehicle.

Whitefish police discontinued the pursuit to assist the woman, and Sovine fled the area and went into hiding.

Using information from different sources, police determined that Sovine was staying at a residence on Deer Trail, in Happy Valley. Police noticed Sovine peering through a window, but when nobody opened the door when they knocked, police forced the door open.

Sovine, who was in possession of a .22 caliber rifle, was found hiding in the crawlspace. He was arrested and taken to city jail, where bond was set at $100,000.

Sovine's recent problems began Sept. 13 when Whitefish police responded to a report of a disturbance in progress at a home on Columbia Avenue. A woman in the house said she had broken up with Sovine four days earlier and that he was harassing her at her home.

While the woman spoke to an officer in the house, another Whitefish police officer found an open can of beer in Sovine's vehicle. He was arrested and charged with MIP, open container and criminal trespass.

The woman later told police that Sovine had allegedly hit her in the face and threw her to the ground on one occasion, physically restrained her at his house on another occasion, made threatening phone calls and removed the spark plugs from her vehicle.

Whitefish subjudge Tom Tornow issued a bench warrant for Sovine's arrest on Sept. 15 after he allegedly violated the conditions of his suspended sentence and a temporary restraining order by trying to call his estranged girlfriend on the phone.

On Sept. 29 — two days before the alleged abduction — Sovine posted a $1,000 cash bond and was released from the Flathead County Detention Center.