Sangray resigns from Highway Patrol

Less than two months after being placed on administrative leave, the head of the local nine-county district of the Montana Highway Patrol will end his 22-year career with the force.

Montana Highway Patrol announced this week that Capt. Brad Sangray has submitted his resignation effective May 31.

Sangray was placed on nondisciplinary administrative leave April 11, with Major R.V. Moody stepping in as interim director of the district.

Anastasia Burton, a Montana Department of Justice spokeswoman, said Moody will continue to act as director District 8 until someone is promoted to take Sangray’s place.

The district runs from Glacier and Pondera counties through Teton, Liberty, Hill, Chouteau, Blaine, Phillips and Valley counties, with the district office in Havre.

Col. Kent Hickethier, head of the Montana Highway Patrol, said in April that the agency could not comment on the reasons Sangray was placed on leave.

The patrol this week released the letter informing Sangray he was being placed on leave and Sangray’s resignation form, but would not release details on the reason he was placed on leave.

When asked if any other documents or information was available, state Department of Justice spokeswoman Anastasia Burton said, “You have everything.”

The letter telling Sangray he was being put on leave, signed by Montana Highway Patrol Lt. Col. Greg Watson, says administrative leave is used to provide a period of time in which the patrol can conduct an investigation and review all information about the officer’s employment.

The letter says requirements of the leave included that Sangray would have no contact with any member of the Highway Patrol Division other than Major Mood, Lt. Col. Watson, or the his human resources specialist or the human resources bureau chief on matters regarding his employment or work; would not enter any Montana Highway Patrol location “for any reason”; and would not access his Highway Patrol computer files or email from any location or by any means.