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Helena Man arrested in Jefferson Co. after allegedly firing shots at two people near Hauser Dam

Posted at 4:59 PM, Jun 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-13 19:22:29-04

HELENA- A Helena Man is in custody for allegedly trying to run over and shoot two people near Hauser Dam on Wednesday.

39-year old Michael Lee Roope was arrested just west of Clancy early Thursday morning without incident.

According to Sheriff Leo Dutton, around 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday dispatchers received reports from a man and a woman that a suspect identified as Roope allegedly tried to run them over with a vehicle.

The two told deputies that Roope then fired through his own windshield at them before trying to hit them again with his truck.

The man and woman say they jumped down an embankment to avoid being struck.

When Lewis and Clark County deputies arrived on the scene they found a bullet hole in the windshield of an abandoned pick up, but Roope was not in the area.

About an hour and a half later the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department reported seeing Roope near Clancy.

“Jefferson County reported that they were in sight of the suspect and that there was a car wreck and the individual had ran. We responded over there to assist the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office,” said Dutton.

A search was then conducted where Roope was eventually located in another vehicle and an arrest was made.

Dutton said he’s grateful to great work done by Jefferson County, Montana Highway Patrol and his own men is resolving this situation.

“I do appreciate not just the inter agency cooperation but the professionalism of all involved. It can get very tense and it was, but it went well,” said Dutton.

The case is still under investigation, but Dutton doesn’t believe there is any threat to public safety.

Roope is currently in the Jefferson County Detention center.

He will be transferred to Lewis and Clark County to face 4 charges of felony assault with a weapon.