SWAT team returns to Hungry Horse, arrest made

A Hungry Horse man is behind bars after a Flathead County Sheriff’s Department SWAT raid of a home on River Drive Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Robert W. Rigsbee, 52, was charged with felony possession of narcotics. Sheriff’s detectives also seized 28 firearms that were suspected to be stolen in a string of recent burglaries, as well as numerous pieces of narcotics paraphernalia and suspected methamphetamine, Sheriff Brian Heino said in a release.

The SWAT team and Kalispell Special Response Team were involved due to the number of firearms that were suspected at the home.

An elderly female was also removed from a residence and taken into custody by adult protective services.

The property has numerous buildings and a shop across the street from the main home.

The search warrant on the property was the work of several law enforcement and other agencies, Heino said, including the county planning and zoning office, the Kalispell Police Department, adult protective services and tips from local residents.

The residence is the same place where deputies first began to pursue James Colby Smith, 20, on suspicion of stealing several snowmobiles last Tuesday.

Smith led deputies on a foot pursuit down the road and then holed up in an unoccupied home in standoff with law enforcement for a few hours. They eventually used tear gas on him and took him into custody.

Smith now faces several charges, including criminal mischief, burglary, resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer and parole violations.