SWAN VALLEY – With the help of multiple law enforcement agencies and a Swan Valley resident, two individuals were arrested following an high-speed chase on Highway 83 April 17. No one was injured in the pursuit.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Missoula County Sheriff’s Detective Mike Sunderland was dispatched to a report of a burglary on Scenic Drive off Guest Ranch Road in Condon. According to court documents, resident Sharon Gressle pulled into her driveway and noticed a dark colored pickup in her driveway. The man was loading the pickup with a tote from her home.
Gressle confronted the man, later identified as Donald Hartigan. She asked him why he was taking her stuff and he replied he did not know anyone lived at the residences. Gressle observed Hartigan reach down by his right leg and pick up a dark colored semi-automatic handgun, which he held by his leg. When she again asked him why he was taking her things, Hartigan instructed Gressle to close the door to the pickup. He and a woman drove off.
Gressle memorized the license plate and reported it to law enforcement. The 2012 Nissan pickup they were driving had been reported stolen from Jefferson County and was valued at $15,000.
Missoula County deputies, Montana Highway Patrol and Forest Service law enforcement, assisted by Two Bear Air, began searching the area. A reverse 911 alert was also put out to Condon area residents alerting them of danger and asking them to be on the lookout for the suspect vehicle.
The pickup was headed northbound on Highway 83 at approximately 6:30 p.m. Montana Highway Patrol initiated a pursuit which eventually led into Lake County. The pursuit hit speeds of over 100 mph. Lake County Sheriff’s deputies deployed spike strips in two locations. While the Nissan avoided the first set of strips, it hit the second set and punctured the left rear tire.
Near mile marker 63 on Highway 83, Hartigan and his female passenger, later determined to be Samantha Brewer, began throwing multiple objects out of the Nissan. The pursuit continues for a short time longer before the Nissan went off the roadway and stopped.
Brewer and Hartigan both fled on foot in opposite directions. They were pursued by law enforcement. Eventually they were both taken into custody without incident.
Following the apprehension of Brewer and Hartigan, Sunderland received a search warrant for the Nissan pickup. He found numerous items identified by Gressle, including guns, coins and sterling silver items.
Sunderland also found both Brewer and Hartigan were suspects in several burglaries and stolen vehicle cases in two other counties and had outstanding warrants. Sunderland found numerous items identified as stolen property in those out-of-county burglaries within the Nissan.
Haritgan was charged with two felonies, aggravated burglary and theft over $5,000 as well as fleeing from or eluding a peace office, a misdemeanor. Brewer was charged with one felony count of theft over $5,000.
Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott expressed his sincere thanks to all the agencies that assisted in bringing these suspects into custody.
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