Investigation continues into car wash vandalism

Jared Ritz

Havre Daily News

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Havre Police have contacted the man they suspect to have driven through four garage doors at the Blue Bear Car Wash on June 12, and are continuing to build their case before bringing it to the Hill County Attorney's office, Assistant Police Chief George Tate said Tuesday.

Police found their suspect through the tips of three different eye witnesses, Tate said. Before leaving the scene, witnesses were able to write down the licence plate number of the vehicle they say they saw vandalize the business.

About $16,700 in damage was done to the business at about 2:30 a.m. June 12, when what was described by witnesses as a large, older-model SUV drove through the car wash's southernmost wash bay's two aluminum doors. The suspect then turned around and drove through the northernmost bay's door into the rear of pickup truck, which was pushed by the force of the crash into a one-ton delivery truck, which was pushed forward into the fourth door. According to Tate, the suspect backed up and rammed the vehicles again at least once more.

Tate said police have spoken with their suspect, but that he denied being the driver of the SUV. As part of further investigation, officers will be conducting a suspect lineup where the witnesses will attempt to verify whom they saw that night.

Once the investigation on the police end is complete, they will forward their information to the County Attorney's office, which Tate said should happen in the next couple of days. The office will then decided what charges, if any, they want to pursue. Any property crimes that cause more than $1,000 in damage can be charged as a felony in Montana.