Authorities investigating attempted suicide at county jail

State authorities are investigating the attempted suicide of a Libby man at the county jail.

Court documents indicate a Libby man attempted suicide at the Lincoln County Detention Center in the early-morning hours of Friday, Aug. 4.

Other court filings later on the day of Aug. 4 indicated two felony cases against the man were dismissed due to his death.

But Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short said in a phone interview with The Western News Thursday afternoon that the man is in a Spokane hospital and is still alive.

At 7:51 a.m. Friday, Aug. 4, Heather Benjamin of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office filed a petition requesting an emergency release of the man due to a suicide attempt and the inmate’s admission to a hospital. Benjamin signed and dated the petition at 2:04 a.m. on Aug. 4.

Deputy County Attorney Jeffrey Zwang filed a petition to dismiss the charges against the man because he believed he was deceased. Judge Matt Cuffe signed the order on Tuesday, Aug. 8.

County Attorney Marcia Boris said the misunderstanding about whether the man had died resulted when someone in her office called the sheriff’s office on Aug. 8 and was told he had passed.

But Short said whoever in his office said the man had died was mistaken.

Short also said that the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, the man was booked into the county jail on Monday, July 31 for possession of dangerous drugs, driving under the influence and resisting arrest after a woman called 911 to report a disoriented man parked in a car blocking the County Shop Road.

County Deputy Anthony Jenson responded. Jenson reported that the man had a felony warrant for his arrest and that the defendant was unsteady on his feet and seemed impaired. A preliminary breath test indicated the man’s blood alcohol content was under the legal limit of .08. Jenson believed the man was under the influence and arrested him. After searching the man, Jenson reported finding a plastic bag with a substance that was believed to be methamphetamine.