Burglary – Assault with a Weapon and a High Speed Chase

Several western Montana law enforcement agencies were involved on Wednesday in a case where a man and woman were charged with aggravated burglary, assault with a weapon and fleeing from law enforcement after allegedly breaking into a home in the Condon area.

Missoula County Sheriff’s Captain Bill Burt said that 36 year-old Donald Hartigan and 23 year-old Samantha Brewer were the two individuals involved in a case that began after a homeowner called 9-1-1 to report that her home had been broken into and the persons responsible were still there.

“He (Hartigan) threatened her with a handgun before fleeing in a stolen pickup that was stolen from the Helena area,” said Burt. “The truck was stolen the day prior where they had committed at least a dozen other burglaries. The male and the female ended up in the Seeley Swan area.”

Burt said the chase began near Condon.

“With cooperation from the Montana Highway Patrol, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Forest service and Two Bear Air out of Whitefish we conducted quite a search of the area,” he said. “Within about two hours Highway Patrol officers found the vehicle traveling north on U.S. Highway 93 near the Lake County line. A real short pursuit ensued and spike strips were deployed by Lake County deputies and they were able to get the vehicle stopped.”

But that didn’t stop Hartigan and Brewer.

“Both the male and the female fled the vehicle and fled on foot,” he said. “The male was apprehended rather quickly, and after a short search with Two Bear Air and ground searchers the female was captured.”

Both Brewer and Hartigan have been charged with aggravated burglary, assault with a weapon and extra jurisdictional warrants, and are being held in the Missoula County Jail on $50,000 bond.

They will appear via video on Friday afternoon in Missoula Justice Court.