Great Falls chase, standoff suspect in court

The man arrested Tuesday after a law enforcement pursuit and brief standoff in the Skyline area made his initial court appearance Wednesday. Jason Quincy Niccum, 38, faces six criminal charges and revocation of his probation for a drug offense committed in 2010.

Niccum was wanted on a $20,000 bench warrant issued in June for alleged probation violations, including failing to report to his probation officer for months and failing to establish a permanent residence he could register, according to court reports.

Charging documents say Niccum was spotted near the Rainbow Dam overlook Monday afternoon, having been featured on a “Most Wanted” list. The citizen informed a Cascade County Deputy Sheriff, who recognized Niccum from prior dealings with law enforcement. The report says the deputy called Niccum over, but he refused, entered his blue Dodge pickup and drove away.

The report says the deputy attempted to block the parking lot exit, but Niccum was able to get out. The deputy reported that he could see a frightened-looking female in the passenger seat of the truck.

The pursuit began southbound on Giant Springs Road. The deputy reported Niccum was traveling at a high rate of speed. The report says Niccum did not yield to the deputy’s lights and sirens, rather he turned west onto 18th Avenue North, reaching speeds exceeding 90 mph in a 45-mph zone. Niccum then turned onto 52nd Street North, then onto River Drive North and took the 15th Street bridge heading north.

The report says Great Falls Police officers deployed “stop sticks” near the intersection of Old Havre Highway and 25th Avenue Northeast, puncturing Niccum’s driver’s side rear tire. Niccum continued to 15th Street and Old Havre Highway, where he turned north, taking that to 36th Avenue Northeast.

The report says GFPD officers deployed a second set of “stop sticks” at the intersection of 9th Street Northeast and 36th Avenue Northeast and a third at 5th Street. Eventually, the other three tires were punctured. Niccum turned onto 2nd Street Northeast, the report says, where he came to a stop at the intersection with 30th Avenue Northeast.

Court documents say the female passenger exited the vehicle, crying, and she was detained. According to the report, Niccum remained in the vehicle and yelled out the window for officers to shoot him. The passenger told responders Niccum was holding a kitchen knife to his chest. She also told them she asked him to stop several times during the pursuit.

The report says officers talked with Niccum for about 30 minutes before he exited the vehicle and was arrested without incident.

Niccum’s probation officer completed a search of the vehicle and found drug paraphernalia, open alcoholic beverage containers and a kitchen knife, according to the report. The vehicle’s rear plate was reported stolen, the document says, and the front plate was not assigned to Niccum’s truck but was not reported stolen.

The charges filed against Niccum include criminal endangerment, a felony, along with eluding a peace officer, obstructing a peace officer, theft, criminal possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle on highway, all misdemeanors.

Niccum, who appeared via closed circuit television from the Cascade County Detention Center, used foul language to express his disagreement with the allegations during bond arguments.

The court set bond in the new charges at $100,000, to run concurrent with the $20,000 bond called for in the warrant.