State and city settle Vets Home case

The Montana Veterans Home, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and the city of Columbia Falls have settled with the granddaughter of the man who died after being Tased by a Columbia Falls police officer.

Stanley Downen, 77, a Korean War veteran suffering from Alzheimer’s, had walked away from the Vets Home on June 1, 2012, after staying one night. Vets Home staff were unable to stop him as he proceeded north up Veterans Drive to the baseball fields.

The two Columbia Falls police officers who responded reported that Downen would not cooperate and threatened to throw a rock at them.

One officer deployed his Taser, and Downen injured himself when he fell to the ground. Downen was transported by ambulance to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. He died 23 days later.

Tamara Downen filed suit in state court in Helena alleging her grandfather died from injuries caused by the fall when he was Tased. The case was moved to federal court in Missoula in 2013.

According to court records, the Vets Home and DPHHS agreed to pay Tamara Downen $20,000 on Feb. 13, 2014, to get the case dismissed.

The Montana Municipal Interlocal Authority settled the case on behalf of the city of Columbia Falls, the Columbia Falls Police Department, officer Mike Johnson and police chief Dave Perry for $150,000 on Feb. 18, 2014. MMIA is the city’s insurer.