State Briefs

DCI investigating Gillette shooting

GILLETTE (WNE) — The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating an incident from Sunday morning in which two police officers shot and killed a 22-year-old man, Ismael Trinidad Montes, who was allegedly resisting arrest and charged officers with a “large edged weapon.”

The incident began when officers received a call at about 7 a.m. Sunday from an unidentified person requesting an unwanted person be removed from their home in the 500 block of Church Avenue.

When officers arrived, Montes was allegedly armed with a “large edged weapon” and refused multiple requests from officers to drop it, according to a police statement.

Officers used two “less lethal” options, which were not specified, to restrain him, but neither worked. Montes then retreated further inside the home as officers continued trying to disarm him. At that point, he allegedly charged and swung the weapons at officers, according to the statement.

Two officers then shot Montes, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

As of Monday morning, it was unclear how many officers responded to the call or how many shots were fired at the man.

EMS responded to the scene and lifesaving measures were performed before Montes was pronounced dead.

One officer was treated for minor injuries, according to the statement. Those injuries were not detailed.

Both officers are on paid administrative leave while the investigation takes place.

The Gillette Police Department declined further comment until DCI concludes its investigation.

Man convicted of aggravated assault in 2020 crash

POWELL (WNE) — After hearing four days of evidence and arguments, jurors convicted a Cody man of aggravated assault and battery for crashing into an oncoming vehicle while impaired in 2020. 

The four people in the vehicle he hit suffered serious injuries. 

Because of Kenneth W. Stone’s prior felony convictions, prosecutors are pursuing an enhanced sentence of somewhere between 10 and 50 years in prison. 

After a couple hours of deliberations Thursday night, the 12-member jury unanimously voted to convict Stone of aggravated assault. 

The basic facts of the case were not in dispute: In October 2020, Stone went over the centerline in his Ford Ranger and into the oncoming lane of traffic on U.S. Highway 14/16/20 west of Cody. He crashed head-on into a westbound Dodge Charger that contained four out-of-state residents on a trip to Yellowstone National Park. They and Stone suffered serious injuries, with the occupants of the Charger suffering fractured arms, a fractured wrist, a cracked rib, a dislocated shoulder and two broken vertebrae; one woman had to be flown to a Billings hospital via helicopter. 

Law enforcement officers and other first responders found that Stone appeared to be in a “trance-like state” and concluded he was impaired. 

Stone told authorities he’d drank alcohol and taken sleeping medication and other prescriptions the night before the crash, with testing finding those substances in his blood. 

Mixing Ambien and alcohol can result in dangerous side effects, including confusion and dizziness, health experts say.

Wyoming gas prices up 1.5 cents in last week

CHEYENNE (WNE) — Wyoming gas prices have risen 1.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.25 per gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy.com’s daily survey of 494 stations in Wyoming.

Gas prices in Wyoming are 6.6 cents per gallon lower than a month ago, and stand $1.04 per gallon higher than a year ago.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Wyoming was priced at $2.69 per gallon Monday, while the most expensive was $3.89, a difference of $1.20 per gallon.

The national average price of gasoline has risen 0.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.31 per gallon Monday. The national average is down 0.7 cents per gallon from a month ago, and stands 92.8 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

Two charged in July murder of teen

CHEYENNE (WNE) — Two teens have been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old on July 5, 2021 in Cheyenne. 

Raymond Sanchez, 16, of Cheyenne has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and Xavier Sanchez, 18, of Casper has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. 

In July, Cheyenne Police detectives determined that Raymond and Xavier acted together during the homicide. Raymond was arrested on July 10 on unrelated charges and held in custody, while Xavier was arrested on July 15 in Casper on charges related to the case. 

Affidavits of probable cause were then forwarded to the Laramie County District Attorney with charging recommendations. Both defendants are now being held at the Laramie County Detention Center. 

The date for the preliminary hearing is pending, according to a news release from Cheyenne Police.

Donors give Jackson families $18,000 for wellness items

JACKSON (WNE) — An anonymous local donor plans to give more than $800,000 to support Jackson Hole families struggling with the region’s high cost of living.

The inaugural Jackson Hole Community Well-being Awards will give 48 families up to $18,000 for wellness items or expenses over the next year. There wasn’t an application process.

Instead, families were nominated based on “need and merit” by Teton County School District No. 1 administrators and social workers and Teton Youth and Family Services staff. The number of awards was expanded after the donor realized the level of need in the community.

Superintendent Gillian Chapman described the awards as “life-changing” in a Thursday statement.

“They give hard-working families more stability, which, in turn, gives their children the opportunity to flourish, both at home and in our schools,” she wrote.

The Fund for Public Education is helping with the distribution and hopes, alongside the donor, to make the awards an annual tradition. Other community members can also pitch in to support the awards.

“Dedicated workers struggle to find stable housing. Local children face the very real problem of food insecurity,” the Fund said in a statement, describing some of the hardships that often feel paradoxical in a resort town.

Wyoming to get $225 million for highway bridge needs

CHEYENNE (WNE) — Wyoming will receive $225 million under the new federal program to address highway bridge needs that is part of President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law.

The funding will help improve the condition of about 220 bridges in poor condition, and to preserve and improve more than 2000 bridges in fair condition in the state. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation officially launched the historic Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection and Construction Program (Bridge Formula Program) on Friday. The program, to be administered by the Federal Highway Administration, represents the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system – providing $26.5 billion to states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico over five years and $825 million for Tribal transportation facilities. 

The total amount that will be available to states, D.C. and Puerto Rico in Fiscal Year 2022 is $5.3 billion, along with $165 million for tribes. The FHWA also published initial guidance on the new program. 

Nationwide, the Bridge Formula Program is expected to help repair approximately 15,000 bridges. In addition to providing funds to states to replace, rehabilitate, preserve, protect and construct highway bridges, the Bridge Formula Program has dedicated funding for Tribal transportation facility bridges, as well as “off-system” bridges, locally owned facilities not on the federal-aid highway system.

UW names building for renowned archaeologist Frison

LARAMIE (WNE) — The University of Wyoming’s anthropology building is now the George C. Frison Building, named in honor of the Worland native and UW graduate who achieved international acclaim as an archaeologist during a lengthy career as a UW faculty member. 

UW’s Board of Trustees voted Friday to name the building in Frison’s honor at the request of the Department of Anthropology, the university’s Naming Committee chaired by Provost Kevin Carman and President Ed Seidel. 

The George C. Frison Building is a 53,000-square-foot facility that was completed in 2007 and houses the Department of Anthropology, the State Archaeologist’s Office, the cultural records section of the State Historic Preservation Office, the Frison Institute, the State Archaeological Repository and the Anthropology Museum. 

Frison founded the Department of Anthropology and was the first state archaeologist. He also is the only UW faculty member ever elected to the National Academy of Sciences. He died Sept. 6, 2020, at the age of 95. 

“Naming of buildings for certain individuals is a very rare honor at UW, but this is clearly a case when it’s absolutely appropriate,” Seidel said.