Deputy's Log Oct. 13 -Oct. 19

Lewis and Clark County 911 Center received fourteen Calls for Service in the Lincoln area during the week of Oct. 13 – Oct. 19, 2019.

Two of those Calls for Service were traffic stops and one was a civil service performed in and around the Lincoln area by deputies.

One call for service generated a case report last week: A male called into the Sheriff's Office at approximately 9:25 a.m. Monday, Oct. 14, to report the transfer station on Highway 200 east of town was broken into. Items with a total value of more than $2000 were stolen from the office space and shop. This investigation is still open. If you have any information pertaining to this case, please get a hold of me.

Other calls for service in the Lincoln area were one non-injury crash, one animal complaint, one citizen assist, one extra patrol, one lost property call, and one weapons call. Lincoln Ambulance responded to four medical calls for service.

We have received a number of calls in the last two weeks in regards to shooting guns in a "residential area" on private land. In both incidences, the gun owners were shooting on their land and in a safe direction. There is no state code which specifically says guns cannot be fired in a "residential area," although it states they cannot be fired in a "city" or "town." Lincoln is not a "city" or "town" by state standards.

An individual can be charged with MCA 45-5-207, Criminal Endangerment- a person who knowingly engages in conduct that creates a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another, if the person is not shooting in a safe direction or shooting toward a home. For example, if your house is surrounded by other homes on all four sides, it is unsafe to fire a gun from your home. A person convicted of this offense shall be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000 or imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 10 years, or both.

It is always best to know, without a doubt, that you are firing in a safe direction.

Deputy Robert Rivera

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office

406-241-6967