Gallatin Media Center

As of 5:22pm, I90 Eastbound is open and traffic is flowing.

Thank you for your patience, please drive safe as conditions may continue to worsen throughout the night.

 

I90 Eastbound is currently blocked from mile marker 313 to 317 due to several semis blocking the road. Law enforcement is currently on scene and will update once the interstate is cleared.  It is suggested that all semis use chains.

We will update the public as soon as the road is reopened.

For immediate release: March 24, 2023

Media contact:
Holly Whaley, GCCHD Communications and Website Specialist
holly.whaley@gallatin.mt.gov
406-579-4232

Gallatin City-County Health Department’s Environmental Health Services to Host Open House for Environmental Health, Land Development, and Water Management

The Gallatin City-County Health Department (GCCHD) will be hosting an open house for any Gallatin County resident looking to find information on environmental public health, land development, and water management resources.

See full press release here.

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PRESS RELEASE

Denny Creek Stuck Four-Wheeler

On March 22, 2023, at 6:50 pm, West Yellowstone Police Dispatch received a phone call for a stranded motorist on Denny Creek Road, in West Yellowstone. The stranded individual was four wheeling on a snow packed road when they became stuck in some soft snow. Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue West Yellowstone Section responded on snowmobile and was able to extricate the four-wheeler and rescue the motorist.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind the public that spring sun can change roadway conditions quickly. In this instance, a hard packed road that was passable early in the day became impassable as the afternoon sun softened the snow. When travelling during this season of change, be prepared by letting people know where you’re going, have a charged cellphone, and consider extrication equipment like a shovel, traction boards, tow strap, and tire chains.

For immediate release: March 22, 2023

The suspect in the Forest Mobile Home Park has been taken into custody without further incident. Law enforcement will remain on scene as the investigation is ongoing. The shelter in place has been lifted.  Displaced residents are able to return to their homes.

Sheriff Dan Springer appreciates your patience and understanding as we worked through this incident.

 

For immediate release: March 22, 2023

At about 6 PM on Wednesday, March 22, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a man with a weapon in the Forest Mobile Home Park off Norris Road in Four Corners. Residents reported the man pointed a firearm at them as he was driving around the area. Deputies responded and the suspect also pointed a firearm at them.

The suspect barricaded himself in a trailer and while inside that location, fired a round from a firearm, there are no known injuries at this time.

The sheriff’s office has evacuated residents in the immediate area of the trailer. Residents of Forest Park are being instructed to shelter in place and were sent those instructions through a reverse 911 message.

People are asked to stay out of the area as this is an active law enforcement event.

We will provide updates as we have more information.

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CORRECTION: The below press release had the incorrect title for Kyla Murray.  Her title is Belgrade City Prosecutor, not Belgrade City Attorney.  The below version of the release has been corrected.  We apologize for the error.

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For immediate release: March 22, 2023

Press Availability: Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell and the Joint Task Force will be available to take questions from reporters today, Wednesday, March 22, at 11 AM at the County Attorney’s Office on the second floor of the Guenther Memorial Building at 1709 W College, Suite 2 in Bozeman.

 

Gallatin County Attorney Discovers Boxes of Unprosecuted Violent Sexual Crime Files in a Closet; Creates Joint Task Force to Address Criminal Justice Crisis

The Gallatin County Attorney’s Office is responsible for reviewing investigations submitted by law enforcement agencies, which are called “Request for Prosecutions” or RFPs.  When an RFP is submitted to the County Attorney’s Office by law enforcement, a prosecutor is supposed to promptly review the RFP, determine whether further investigation is required, and then make a decision about whether to prosecute the case or decline to prosecute the case based on the law and the investigation’s evidence. That is how the prosecution process is supposed to work.

“When I took office in January of this year, one of the first things I did was take stock of the physical office space. In an empty office stuffed under a desk and in a closet, I found boxes filled with unreviewed and unprosecuted RFPs from law enforcement for sexually violent crimes committed between 2008 and 2022. Once I realized what they were, it made me sick to my stomach,” Cromwell said.

The unreviewed RFPs totaled 113 cases: including 53 violent rape cases, 20 sexual assault cases, 14 domestic violence cases, 8 incest cases, and 7 sexual abuse against children cases, among others. One hundred of the victims identify as female. Fifty-two of the cases include some form of sexual violence against children.

“Clearly these cases were deprioritized by the former administration. No action had been taken on any of these cases, with the longest case sitting for the past 14 years,” Cromwell said.

“When I look at a case file, I don’t see pieces of paper; I see a victim whose life is forever altered because of the violence they suffered. I also see an offender who has not been held accountable for his or her actions. Justice has not been served and there has been no closure for victims. This is unacceptable,” Cromwell said.

Of the 113 cases, 42% stem from investigations by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, 37% from the Bozeman Police Department, and 22% from the Belgrade Police Department.

“I want to be clear that law enforcement did everything properly. The failure has been at the County Attorney’s Office, and that stops now. Our community is in good hands with our law enforcement agencies and it should likewise be in the good hands of our county-level prosecutors,” Cromwell said. “I campaigned on a promise to address crimes involving sexual violence and I will.”

Cromwell has worked to create a multi-agency Joint Task Force consisting of experienced attorneys, law enforcement officers, and criminal justice professionals to review each case and pursue those that are still viable for prosecution. The Joint Task Force includes:

• Audrey Cromwell, Gallatin County Attorney
• Jane Mersen, attorney at Kasting, Kaufman, and Mersen, and town attorney for West Yellowstone and Manhattan
• Mike Emens, detective with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office
• April Waltee, victim advocate with Gallatin County Victim Services
• Prosecutors from the Cities of Bozeman and Belgrade

In addition, by working with the Bozeman Greg Sullivan and Belgrade City Prosecutor Kyla Murray, their teams have volunteered to review RFPs from their respective municipal law enforcement agencies and work with the County Attorney’s Office to prosecute them.

“I am proud of my community – that this Joint Task Force with personnel from Gallatin County, the City of Bozeman, and City of Belgrade are all willing to come together in service to our community to review and prosecute these cases and ensure that this never happens again,” Cromwell said.

Many County Attorney’s Offices have written policies or guidelines when reviewing sexually violent cases for prosecution. The Gallatin County Attorney’s Office has never had such a policy. This is something Cromwell would like to remedy. She has disclosed this issue to other prosecutorial agencies in an effort to create best practices and policies in charging, prosecuting, and taking sex cases to trial.

One policy Cromwell will immediately ensure is the prompt review of law enforcement requests for prosecution of sexually violent crime.

“I promise you this – as long as I am County Attorney, I will prioritize prosecution of sexual violence and ensure victims are not forgotten in boxes under a desk or in a closet. My deputies will review all new rape and sexual abuse cases as fast as possible upon receipt by law enforcement from here on forward,” Cromwell said.

Ultimately, Cromwell would like her deputies to review all new cases within two weeks of submission by law enforcement.

“We are currently severely understaffed, so right now we cannot review every submission within two weeks. However, as long as the County Commission funds additional attorney positions, we should be able to reach this goal by the end of my second year in office, if not sooner. I can assure you, though, never again will an RFP involving sex crimes sit in a box for 14 years,” Cromwell said.

“I am heartbroken for the victims of these violent crimes whose trauma was not acknowledged. To the victims in our community, I know you have been further traumatized by the failure of the criminal justice system in our county,” Cromwell said. “You have my word that this will never happen again as long as I am county attorney.”

The Sexual Assault Counseling Center is available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. If you or someone you care about has experienced sexual assault as an adult or when they were younger, they can receive a wide range of free advocacies and sexual trauma-focused counseling services. We provide support and information while exploring all healing options. The Gallatin Child Advocacy Center is available for those who are under the age of 18 and their families. Both Centers are confidential resources for any person, as well as their families and concerned others, who has been affect by sexual violence.  Please call 406-586-3333 and ask to speak with a counselor-advocate. 

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual or domestic violence, there are numerous local resources to support you here in our community:

Help Center Sexual Assault Counseling Center 24-hour hotline – 406-586-3333

Gallatin County Victim Services – 406-582-2075

Haven’s 24-hour support line – 406-586-4111

Montana State University VOICE Center – 406-994-7069

National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1-800-799-7233

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For immediate release: March 22, 2023

Press Availability: Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell and the Joint Task Force will be available to take questions from reporters today, Wednesday, March 22, at 11 AM at the County Attorney’s Office on the second floor of the Guenther Memorial Building at 1709 W College, Suite 2 in Bozeman.

 

Gallatin County Attorney Discovers Boxes of Unprosecuted Violent Sexual Crime Files in a Closet; Creates Joint Task Force to Address Criminal Justice Crisis

The Gallatin County Attorney’s Office is responsible for reviewing investigations submitted by law enforcement agencies, which are called “Request for Prosecutions” or RFPs.  When an RFP is submitted to the County Attorney’s Office by law enforcement, a prosecutor is supposed to promptly review the RFP, determine whether further investigation is required, and then make a decision about whether to prosecute the case or decline to prosecute the case based on the law and the investigation’s evidence. That is how the prosecution process is supposed to work.

“When I took office in January of this year, one of the first things I did was take stock of the physical office space. In an empty office stuffed under a desk and in a closet, I found boxes filled with unreviewed and unprosecuted RFPs from law enforcement for sexually violent crimes committed between 2008 and 2022. Once I realized what they were, it made me sick to my stomach,” Cromwell said.

The unreviewed RFPs totaled 113 cases: including 53 violent rape cases, 20 sexual assault cases, 14 domestic violence cases, 8 incest cases, and 7 sexual abuse against children cases, among others. One hundred of the victims identify as female. Fifty-two of the cases include some form of sexual violence against children.

“Clearly these cases were deprioritized by the former administration. No action had been taken on any of these cases, with the longest case sitting for the past 14 years,” Cromwell said.

“When I look at a case file, I don’t see pieces of paper; I see a victim whose life is forever altered because of the violence they suffered. I also see an offender who has not been held accountable for his or her actions. Justice has not been served and there has been no closure for victims. This is unacceptable,” Cromwell said.

Of the 113 cases, 42% stem from investigations by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, 37% from the Bozeman Police Department, and 22% from the Belgrade Police Department.

“I want to be clear that law enforcement did everything properly. The failure has been at the County Attorney’s Office, and that stops now. Our community is in good hands with our law enforcement agencies and it should likewise be in the good hands of our county-level prosecutors,” Cromwell said. “I campaigned on a promise to address crimes involving sexual violence and I will.”

Cromwell has worked to create a multi-agency Joint Task Force consisting of experienced attorneys, law enforcement officers, and criminal justice professionals to review each case and pursue those that are still viable for prosecution. The Joint Task Force includes:

• Audrey Cromwell, Gallatin County Attorney
• Jane Mersen, attorney at Kasting, Kaufman, and Mersen, and town attorney for West Yellowstone and Manhattan
• Mike Emens, detective with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office
• April Waltee, victim advocate with Gallatin County Victim Services
• Prosecutors from the Cities of Bozeman and Belgrade

In addition, by working with the Bozeman Greg Sullivan and Belgrade City Prosecutor Kyla Murray, their teams have volunteered to review RFPs from their respective municipal law enforcement agencies and work with the County Attorney’s Office to prosecute them.

“I am proud of my community – that this Joint Task Force with personnel from Gallatin County, the City of Bozeman, and City of Belgrade are all willing to come together in service to our community to review and prosecute these cases and ensure that this never happens again,” Cromwell said.

Many County Attorney’s Offices have written policies or guidelines when reviewing sexually violent cases for prosecution. The Gallatin County Attorney’s Office has never had such a policy. This is something Cromwell would like to remedy. She has disclosed this issue to other prosecutorial agencies in an effort to create best practices and policies in charging, prosecuting, and taking sex cases to trial.

One policy Cromwell will immediately ensure is the prompt review of law enforcement requests for prosecution of sexually violent crime.

“I promise you this – as long as I am County Attorney, I will prioritize prosecution of sexual violence and ensure victims are not forgotten in boxes under a desk or in a closet. My deputies will review all new rape and sexual abuse cases as fast as possible upon receipt by law enforcement from here on forward,” Cromwell said.

Ultimately, Cromwell would like her deputies to review all new cases within two weeks of submission by law enforcement.

“We are currently severely understaffed, so right now we cannot review every submission within two weeks. However, as long as the County Commission funds additional attorney positions, we should be able to reach this goal by the end of my second year in office, if not sooner. I can assure you, though, never again will an RFP involving sex crimes sit in a box for 14 years,” Cromwell said.

“I am heartbroken for the victims of these violent crimes whose trauma was not acknowledged. To the victims in our community, I know you have been further traumatized by the failure of the criminal justice system in our county,” Cromwell said. “You have my word that this will never happen again as long as I am county attorney.”

The Sexual Assault Counseling Center is available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. If you or someone you care about has experienced sexual assault as an adult or when they were younger, they can receive a wide range of free advocacies and sexual trauma-focused counseling services. We provide support and information while exploring all healing options. The Gallatin Child Advocacy Center is available for those who are under the age of 18 and their families. Both Centers are confidential resources for any person, as well as their families and concerned others, who has been affect by sexual violence.  Please call 406-586-3333 and ask to speak with a counselor-advocate. 

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual or domestic violence, there are numerous local resources to support you here in our community:

Help Center Sexual Assault Counseling Center 24-hour hotline – 406-586-3333

Gallatin County Victim Services – 406-582-2075

Haven’s 24-hour support line – 406-586-4111

Montana State University VOICE Center – 406-994-7069

National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1-800-799-7233

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For immediate release: March 20, 2023

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer and Erin Clements, Director of our Youth and Family Outreach Program, will hold a press conference Tuesday, March 21, at 2 PM at the Gallatin County Detention Center community room (605 S. 16th Ave. in Bozeman).

The press conference will kick off April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. We will be announcing the sale of specially designed yard signs and pinwheels to help raise funds for our Youth and Family Outreach Program. We will also be discussing events and activities taking place in Gallatin County throughout the month of April to help raise awareness and support our local youth affected by child abuse and neglect.

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PRESS RELEASE

WEST YELLOWSTONE SNOWMOBILE CRASH

On March 17, 2023 at 4:45 pm, the West Yellowstone Dispatch Center received a call for a snowmobiler who crashed into a tree, disabling the snowmobile, near the West Yellowstone Airport. The snowmobiler was uninjured but needed assistance getting out of the woods. Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue – West Yellowstone Section responded to the scene on snowmobiles, assessed the rider at the scene, and returned the snowmobiler to town.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind riders that spring temperatures will create varying trail conditions requiring an extra level of caution in controlling snowmobiles. Be prepared for groomed snow to unexpectedly turn to ice or slush. In this event, the snowmobiler was wearing appropriate “personal protective equipment” which ensured the accident did not result in injury to the rider.

Photos courtesy of the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.