C-Falls man faces charges for car theft

A Columbia Falls man faces felony theft and burglary charges for allegedly stealing a car here and then crashing it in Whitefish a few hours later. Jamie Brandon, 34, pleaded not guilty to the felony charges at his arraignment Sept. 6.

According to court documents, sometime between the evening of July 19 and the morning of July 20, Brandon allegedly broke into a residence in Columbia Falls and stole an unlocked vehicle worth more than $1,500.

The green 1996 Subaru Legacy was parked in the unlocked garage on 2nd Avenue East, according to Columbia Falls Police.

The owner of the vehicle, Patti Piquett, reported the car missing at 9 a.m. She retained the keys to the vehicle and hadn't give anyone permission to drive it, according to court documents.

Two hours later, the Whitefish Police Department responded to a two-vehicle crash involving the Subaru. Brandon was identified as the driver at the scene of the accident. He claimed he received the vehicle from a friend, but was unwilling to disclose who that was, according to court documents. Brandon told officers that he started the vehicle with a knife that should still be in the car.

Inside the Subaru were items originally in Piquett's garage that she hadn't put in the vehicle.

Brandon was released on a $10,000 bond with the conditions that he doesn't drink alcohol or enter bars or casinos.

Brandon will have a pretrial hearing at the Flathead County Justice Court Nov. 16.