Law Enforcement Brief

In 2016, the Valley County Sheriff’s Office issued a total of 21 citations to area minors for incidents involving alcohol. According to Sheriff Vernon Buerkle, the intent behind the citations was to curb underage drinking, risky behavior and to keep our young people safe.

“Our number one goal is to keep kids safe,” said Undersheriff Luke Strommen, adding, “We want to deter habits that aren’t safe for these kids.” Buekle and Strommen also commented that distracted driving and other risk factors, such as seat belt use, often contribute to injuries and incidents in the area.

In a coordinated effort, local law enforcement completed their recent compliance checks targeting alcohol serving establishments in the city and county. Both the Glasgow Police Department and the Valley County Sheriff’’s Office reported two out-of-compliance establishments each, for a total of four businesses countywide.

Montana’s Assistant Attorney General Brant Light has filed a felony charge of deliberate homicide in Valley County District Court against Donald Jay Witkowski of Shepherd, Mont., for his alleged role in the death of Evelynn Garcia. Bond has been increased to $1 million and Witkowski remains behind bars.