Drone flight goes on the fritz

A dispute involving a drone and a man’s protective dog, a boxer named Fritz, had the Kalispell Police Department involved. The drone operator was operating the unit at the middle school when it flew over a fence on to a man’s property. It stayed there for about nine seconds and recorded video footage while the man was sunbathing. The drone operator said the homeowner confronted him and sent his dog on him. The homeowner, who is disabled, said he didn’t send his dog after the drone person, but that the dog was just defending him. The officer spoke to both respective parties about drone use and dog behavior.

It may be hot outside, but it doesn’t seem to keep people from leaving their dogs in their cars, particularly Volkswagens. One caller reported a lethargic canine in a blue Beetle with the windows only partially down. The caller checked inside the store and no one claimed it, making the person believe the owner was inside the casino. Another report involved a dog inside a gray Golf with the windows in front cracked open. An officer determined the dog was OK, but did speak to the owner about it.

A caller reported someone accidentally sprayed their can of bear repellant inside a lodge in Whitefish. It affected the woman who unleashed it, making her choke. She was able to breathe, but the lodge had to be aired out before guests could return.

An 18-year-old jet ski operator and a boater collided on Whitefish Lake, but no one was injured. The teen was warned for trespassing on the private dock.

A caller reported a black dog with a blue bandana lunged at him, chased another man into a bathroom and chased a kid on a bicycle. The man believed it may be a pitbull mix. The owner was later cited for not keeping the dog leashed.

A man was locked inside a movie theater before an employee returned to let him out.

A man accused of domestic violence against his common-law wife called the Columbia Falls Police Department to ask if he was going to be in trouble after she entered a place where he was having lunch. A temporary restraining order dictated that he was not allowed to have contact with her. He soon left the establishment.

A woman’s husband lost his money clip. It was described as being chewed by a dog and then bent back into shape. It also contained $500.

The manager of a store reported the theft of 18 totes from a grocery truck. They were believed to contain non-food items, possibly over the counter medications and shampoo.