Montana National Guard arrived in Seeley Lake Tuesday. They are staffing the check points on the closed roads due to the evacuation order issued Monday night, Aug. 28 . They know who is in and out of the area at all times and help keep the areas secure.
SEELEY LAKE - Tuesday, Aug. 29 Seeley Lake resident Stuart Stone, 73, was arrested for nearly hitting a National Guard Solider at the roadblock into an evacuated area for the Rice Ridge Fire. He was charged with assault with a weapon (his vehicle), resisting arrest and obstructing a governmental function.
Tuesday, Aug. 29 around 4:15 p.m. Stuart Stone stopped at the roadblock on Whitetail Drive. Stuart had been previously evacuated and told officials he needed to get his mail.
The National Guard solder staffing the roadblock told him if he lived in the right area he could proceed. If not he couldn't go in.
Stone provided his address but they didn't recognize it. They asked if it was to the right or the left of Whitetail Drive. When he said it was to the left, Stone was told he could not proceed because he lived within the evacuation order.
According to Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Robert Parcell, Stone cursed at the staff sergeant asking him how they were going to keep him out. He was told that they would call a deputy sheriff.
When the soldier stepped away to get his radio, Stuart punched the gas. To avoid hitting the Hummer ahead of him he swerved hard to the left and hard to the right. To avoid impact from the back end of Stuart's vehicle, the staff sergeant jumped out of the way.
The soldiers took the license plate and law enforcement found Stone at his home. When they knocked on the door, Stone answered. Parcell told him he was under arrest. Stuart told Parcell he wasn't going anywhere and started to step back into his home and close the door.
Stuart was removed and arrested on three counts: assault with a weapon (his vehicle); resisting arrest; and obstructing a governmental function.
"He just got frustrated and very belligerent and took it out on our National Guard soldiers which we just don't do," said Parcell. "He kept saying he needed to go get his mail and whatever. The next day we started the escorts and we could have accommodated him in some way."
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