Friday, March 21, 2014

Sometimes You Don't Have to Watch COPS

Because it happens in your own backyard.  Paging through the Bozeman Daily Chronicle last summer, I ran across this item. 

Posted: 

A 27-year-old Bozeman man was charged Friday night with felony criminal endangerment and several misdemeanors.

According to court documents:

Ty Howard Dietzler ran over a mailbox, nearly ran over several pedestrians, blew through several stop signs, led police on a high-speed chase and fled from police as they tried to handcuff him.
Dietzler nearly ran over several pedestrians in the crosswalk at North 27th Avenue and West Oak Street around 8:45 p.m., a witness who was following him told police.
People in the road “were forced to jump and run from the intersection to avoid being struck,” the court document states.
The chase on the northwest side of Bozeman reached speeds of nearly 100 mph.
When officers stopped Dietzler at the intersection of Baxter and Jackrabbit lanes, he initially got out of his car, but ran off into a gravel pit.
“After a short foot pursuit, Dietzler stopped and said he was tired and done running,” the court document states.
In addition to felony criminal endangerment, Dietzler was charged with fleeing and eluding police officers, three counts of failing to stop for stop signs, obstructing police and driving without insurance, all misdemeanors.
Dietzler was released Monday on $10,000 bail.
We had met Ty a year previous when we moved into town. After doing the touring rock band thing, and living for a few years in Nashville, he had just returned to his native Montana. Ty taught our girls guitar. He took the summer off and had promised to give us a call in the fall.
Not surprisingly, when fall came, Ty had disappeared off the radar screen. 
Then, in December, Teresa ran into Ty at a local coffee shop.  "Ty," she said "What is this about assault on a mail box?" "Dude," I said, "Orange is not your color."  "Are you available for lessons after the 1st of the year?" Teresa asked.  "Sure," Ty said, and we made arrangements.
Ty is sober and chastened. The lesson train departed the station, and we are whispering sweet nothings into the pre-trial release officer's ear.
So it goes.

Note 12.11.14: Earlier this fall the wife and one of the kids went in support to the sentencing hearing where Ty pleaded guilty to one of the charges. He is serving out his probation, has worked off his community service many times over, is paying restitution, is teaching all four young ones in our household and picking up recording gigs. We are seeing a lot of growth, great maturity and level headedness. He has finagled a deal where he watches a building in return for a free room. Way to go Ty! Good things are coming down the pike.

Note 3.23.15: Ty has complied with every condition (some multiple times) of his probation without a stutter step or a flaw. He has secured the requisite signatures certifying the same and submitted the paperwork to the bureaucracy for processing. Soon his record will be cleansed of the conviction and he will have a clean slate to go along with his clean lifestyle, going forward. Way to go Ty!

3 comments:

  1. You ran into a criminal at a store?

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  2. I've met Ty a few times when he played guitar for thousand foot krutch. Was sad to hear about all this but this article sure cheered me up! So glad he's doing well and improving! He was always an idol of mine!

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  3. So glad to read this article! I met Ty a few times when he was touring with thousand foot krutch and was sad to hear about the arrest. I'm so happy to hear he's improving so much and things are really looking up for him! He's always been an idol of mine!

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