Updated 1 p.m. June 9

James Dennis, 36, has been charged with felony counts of theft, assault with a weapon, criminal endangerment and assault on a peace officer in connection with the June 4 car theft, police pursuit and crash.

According to charging documents, Dennis stole a black Jeep Wrangler from a NorthWestern Energy utility site at 5378 Highway 89 in Monarch.  The car’s owner and his friends who work for NorthWestern called 911 to report the theft.

The NorthWestern employees had been doing utility work on the highway near Monarch. The car owner’s friends were able to stop the Jeep and make contact with Dennis between mile marker 74 and 75 on Highway 89 when Dennis drew brandished a handgun, firing a round at one of the employees and drove off.

Reports of shots fired on Highway 89 came into 911 dispatch at 4:53 p.m.

Dennis then continue westbound between Belt and Great Falls when a Cascade County sheriff’s deputy made contact, activated his lights and pursued the stolen vehicle, according to court documents.

Dennis continued at a high rate of speed toward Great Falls, brandishing the firearm at the deputy, according to charging documents.

Dennis turned right onto 57th Street South and continued northbound where Great Falls Police officers make contact with the vehicle and Dennis fired multiple shots in the direction of the officer’s vehicles, according to court documents.

Dennis turned left onto 2nd Avenue North and fired more rounds at police vehicles near the 4200 block, causing a flat tire to one police vehicle.

Continuing westbound on 2nd Avenue North, Dennis fired more shots at another responding GFPD officer and struck a blue Toyota RAV4 at the intersection of 2nd Avenue North and 38th Street North, causing significant damage to both vehicles.

Dennis was ejected from the vehicle and taken into custody. He was transported to the hospital, according to multiple law enforcement sources. He was later booked into the Cascade County Adult Detention Center.

The two occupants of the RAV4 were okay, according to GFPD.

Dennis is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on June 5 and is being held on a $500,000 bond.

During his initial court appearance on June 5 before Judge Elizabeth Best, Dennis said he had road rash and was in a lot of pain, but could understand the judge.

Jayde James, representing Dennis for his initial appearance, said Dennis had lived in Great Falls for a significant period of time, has family in the area, is able to be employed and is willing to complete a chemical dependency evaluation.

She said he had some mental health issues including depression and anxiety.

James said they were asking for any bond reduction the court was willing to grant since he was of limited financial means.

Best said she was maintaining bond at $500,000 due to the flight risk and community safety factors were “about as high as they can go,” since Dennis caused a police chase and fired a weapon during rush hour.

Stephanie Fuller, for the Cascade County Attorney’s Office, objected to a bond reduction, saying Dennis was a danger to the community.

Fuller said he was a suspect in several reports of stolen vehicles in recent days and during the June 4 incident victimized at least eight law enforcement members and multiple members of the community. She said Dennis continued to resist arrest after being ejected from the stolen vehicle after crashing into another vehicle.

Best amended her order to require Level 3 monitoring if Dennis posted bond. That requires weekly check-ins, GPS monitoring, a chemical dependency evaluation, weekly drug testing and a drug patch. She also ordered a mental health evaluation.

The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office said June 5 that it was asking for the public’s help in locating a white 2001 Chevy Silverado 1500 with the license plate AYK735. The vehicle is related to the June 4 theft and pursuit.

Anyone with information the truck, pictured below is asked to call dispatch at 406-454-6979.

On June 9, CCSO said it had located the truck.

From our June 4 report:

Local law enforcement has been responding to an incident that began with a stolen vehicle east of Great Falls, outside the city limits, ending with a two vehicle crash at 2nd Avenue North and 38th Street.

After the initial theft this afternoon, deputies with the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle and a pursuit ensued toward Great Falls.

Entering the city limits, the suspect began firing a weapon at CCSO deputies and Great Falls Police Department officers at multiple locations.

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The Montana Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigations is leading the investigation into the incident, supported by CCSO and GFPD.

Investigators have developed information that the suspect may have also fired a weapon at citizens in the area and are asking anyone who was affected by the incident to leave a voicemail for GFPD Det. Will Fleming at 406-455-8519 or private message the GFPD Facebook page.

Cascade County Sheriff Slaughter said the incident began around 4:53 p.m. June 4 with CCSO deputies looking for the stolen vehicle, which they located on Highway 89 at 57th Street.

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A pursuit ensued, which GFPD joined, and ended at 2nd Avenue North at 38th Street with a two vehicle crash.

Slaughter said there were no injuries to CCSO deputies or GFPD officers.