Outburst at school leads to charges

Hungry Horse News

A Hungry Horse woman faces several misdemeanor charges after she allegedly went on a tirade at the high school last month after her daughter was apparently cut from the volleyball team.

Melanie White, 44, was charged with one count each of privacy in communications, disorderly conduct and criminal defamation after a Columbia Falls police investigation of the Aug. 18 incident.

Police Chief Dave Perry said his office made the charges last week after their investigation.

It started out, Perry said, after White allegedly entered the gym and berated the volleyball team players.

The volleyball coach, Addie Hines, then escorted White to the principal's office where she allegedly verbally abused Columbia Falls High School Principal Terry Steglich and assistant principal John Cooper, Perry said.

White then allegedly called school athletic director John Thompson about a day later and harassed him on the phone.

Police were called in to investigate the next day, Perry said.

White was issued citations for the incidents. The privacy in communication charge stems from the phone call to Thompson, the disorderly conduct charge from her altercation with Steglich and Cooper and the criminal defamation charge stems from the incident in the gym. White was issued citations in the matter and has pled not guilty and posted a $1,300 bond in Columbia Falls city court.