Ronan man admits he stole car
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A Ronan man admitted on Thursday at District Court in Polson to stealing a 2006 Kia in Ronan.
On December 29, 2017, a woman reported leaving her 2006 Kia running while she went into her sister's residence to pick up her children, according to court records. The Kia was gone when she went to leave with the children. She reported the Kia as stolen to law enforcement.
Less than an hour later, an officer with Flathead Tribal Police located the suspected stolen Kia and made a traffic stop.
Kelvon Kallowat was identified as the driver of the stolen vehicle, and Tyson Jacob Whitegrass, 25, was identified as the passenger. Whitegrass was allegedly intoxicated and uncooperative. Kallowat told officers that Whitegrass asked him to drive to Pablo, and Kallowat agreed due to Whitegrass’s inebriated state. Whitegrass told Kallowat that he had a car and gave him the keys to the stolen Kia. Kallowat was unaware that the Kia had been stolen.
The brother-in-law of the Kia’s owner told officers investigating the theft that fresh footprints in the snow where the Kia was left running came from the apartment across the street where Whitegrass’s sister lives.
Whitegrass was arrested. He was allegedly in possession of a used meth pipe and also charged with drug possession. The vehicle, with a new dent in the bumper, was returned to the rightful owner.
A plea agreement calls for the drug charge to be dismissed at sentencing and for a three-year sentence deferment, and during that time, Whitegrass will be responsible for paying for any damages to the Kia and adhere to a number of standard conditions. District Judge Kim Christopher set sentencing for July 12.
