Man who ran over, injured child sentenced to two years probation

With the little girl a few feet away, the man who admitted to running her over was sentenced to two years of probation Monday morning in state District Court.

Riley Harwood, who had pleaded guilty to the charge of criminal child endangerment, had at least 12 people file in the courtroom to show support during his sentence hearing. The group, mostly family members, took up almost half of the spectator seating in the courtroom.

Charging documents say Harwood backed over the 2-year-old Aug. 18 as he was getting ready to leave his cousin’s house. The girl’s mother had lost track of the 2-year-old and she ended up under the vehicle. The child was taken to Northern Montana Hospital and later transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of her multiple injuries. Harwood tested positive for THC, the main acting component in marijuana, after the accident.

The first order of business Monday for defense attorney Pat Flaherty was making sure his client wouldn’t lose his license. Flaherty told state District Judge Daniel Boucher that Harwood had two jobs and taking away his driver’s license would be “counterproductive.”

Boucher ultimately declined to suspend Harwood’s license.

Flaherty, along with the four witnesses who took the stand, said that what Harwood did was horrific, but everyone emphasized it was an accident. Boucher said he believed that was true.

The witnesses, among them Harwood’s mother, said they loved Harwood and that they wished for Boucher to be lenient with Harwood.

Harwood’s mother said the tragic event has changed her son completely, and for the better. She said he still suffers from what happened, having felt so bad.

Boucher said what he wanted most was to know the condition of the girl who was the victim in this event.

The girl’s mother didn’t plan on testifying, but she did at the request of Boucher.

She gave the child, who had red marks on the right side of her face, to someone nearby to hold, and then took the stand.

The little girl’s mother was emotional and barely audible. She told Boucher her daughter was fine — she no longer had a cast and there was no brain damage. The grandmother of the 2-year-old had called the little girl “rambunctious” earlier.

Boucher asked Harwood to stand and told him he could make a statement.

Harwood said what happened was an accident and he never intended to hurt anyone.

Boucher said his sentence for Harwood took into consideration that Harwood reported to the sheriff’s office on his own after the accident. Boucher added he wanted to give Harwood a chance to have the offense stricken from his record.

Flaherty thanked Boucher after he issued his sentence.

Part of the sentencing conditions are that Harwood have a mental health examination and a chemical dependency evaluation.