NEWS

Suspect in deputy death appears before judge in hospital

Eric Dietrich
edietrich@greatfallstribune.com

Adam Sanchez Jr., the suspect accused of killing Cascade County Sheriff's Deputy Joe Dunn during a high-speed chase Thursday, was the subject of an unusual initial court appearance held Saturday at Benefis Health Systems, according to court records.

At the request of County Attorney John Parker, Sanchez's bond was set during the hearing before Cascade County District Judge Greg Pinski at $2 million.

Cascade County Sheriff's Deputy Joe Dunn was killed Thursday in the line of duty.

Holding the hearing also allows Sanchez, 40, to be transferred into custody at the Chouteau County Jail in Fort Benton upon his release from Benefis. Authorities will be able to avoid booking him into the Cascade County Detention Center, which is operated by the sheriff's office, as a result.

Sanchez has not yet been charged in connection with the chase that led to Dunn's death. Saturday's hearing was technically a revocation of his release in another case, in which he had pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an armed robbery and chase last November, but had not yet had a sentenced pronounced.

Parker, heard in an audio recording that served as a formal record for the hearing, argued that Sanchez's conduct warranted the "extraordinary" $2 million bond.

Public defender Matt McKittrick, whose office has represented Sanchez in multiple cases, requested a $150,000 bond.

"The initial investigation that's emerging has indicated that this gentleman through his conduct has killed a deputy sheriff in our county," Parker said at the hearing.

"He has had meth toxicity so extreme he has had to be hospitalized," Parker continued, also saying that Sanchez had placed the lives of several civilians at risk and attempted to strike a Great Falls police officer with his car in Black Eagle.

"He is an extreme danger to public safety," Parker said.

Pinski confirmed Sunday that the hearing was held at Benefis to avoid transporting Sanchez to the Cascade County Detention Center.

In order to secure their release from custody while their case progresses, defendants typically have to put up 10 percent of a bond amount, with the remainder fronted by a private bond agency that then takes responsibility for ensuring they appear in court.

Sanchez has apparently been hospitalized since he was apprehended Thursday. It was unclear Sunday afternoon if he was still being held at Benefis.

In routine felony cases, suspects are booked at the county jail after their arrest, and transported to the Cascade County Courthouse to make an initial appearance before a judge the next business day unless they successfully post bail. At initial appearances, suspects are read their charges, can make arrangements to obtain a public defender and have the opportunity to argue for a reduced bond level.

Sheriff's deputies and Montana Highway Patrol troopers were in pursuit of Sanchez at the time of Dunn's death Thursday. Speeds reached in excess of 100 mph, according to court records.

The chase began in Great Falls and reached as far as Geyser in Judith Basin County, where Sanchez allegedly turned around and headed back toward the city, after which Dunn, 33, was apparently struck by Sanchez's vehicle.

Sanchez has a lengthy criminal history, including felony convictions for burglary, theft and drug possession in Cascade and Yellowstone counties, according to court records.

In the November case, he was charged with 10 felonies, including assault with a weapon, attempted robbery and multiple criminal endangerment counts in a Cascade County case where he was accused of trying to rob a man he shot at with a crossbow.

As deputies tried to apprehend him in connection with that incident, Sanchez fled, leading them on a chase that resulted in a collision between a patrol car and another vehicle. While he initially escaped pursuit in the aftermath of that collision, he was apprehended several hours later, charging documents say.

Sanchez was released in February on a $25,000 bond as the case progressed, court filings say, but was arrested in April after being found in possession of a concealed .40-caliber handgun. He was also allegedly in possession of methamphetamine and resisted arrest, biting a gloved hand of the arresting officer.

He pleaded guilty in July to two counts of felony criminal endangerment in a plea agreement that saw his other charges dismissed, court records say. Soon after, he was released, without bond, through an agreement between his public defender and the Cascade County Attorney's Office.

Authorities have so far declined to release information detailing the specifics of the encounter between Sanchez and Dunn, the circumstances that led to the chase, or why prosecutors had agreed to release Sanchez from custody last month.

Police said Sunday afternoon that Parker would provide the public with additional information Monday.

Funeral services for Dunn, a Marine Corps veteran, are set for 1 p.m. Thursday at Pacific Steel & Recycling Four Seasons Arena, to be followed by burial with full military honors at Highland Cemetery.

Reach Staff Writer Eric Dietrich at 791-6527 or ediet­rich@greatfallstribune.com. He can also be followed on Twitter at @GFTrib_EricD.