Paul Hamby

Billings

Public Safety Reporter at Billings Gazette

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Articles

Street fight in downtown Billings leads to 7 arrests

2 days ago | billingsgazette.com | Paul Hamby

A melee that erupted in downtown Billings over the weekend led to seven people being arrested after law enforcement officers tried calming a chaotic scene outside Daisy Dukes Saloon. Of all seven people charged in the aftermath of the series of fights that broke out early Sunday morning, only one of them was from Billings, according to a statement from Billings Police Department Lt. Samantha Puckett.
Billings man accused of beating woman close to death

2 days ago | billingsgazette.com | Paul Hamby

A Billings man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to allegations of beating a woman nearly to death at their home and trying to blame her injuries on an overdose. Jesse Jon Strack, 44, has been charged in Yellowstone County District Court with attempted deliberate homicide. The woman’s hospitalization last week marked the first instance of potentially deadly violence in Billings this year.
Five killed in crashes across Montana over Easter weekend

3 days ago | billingsgazette.com | Paul Hamby

Five people were killed in four crashes across Montana over the weekend. Most of those wrecks occurred in some of the most rural parts of Eastern Montana, according to preliminary reports from Montana Highway Patrol. Among those killed were men and women from Circle, Ennis and Genora, North Dakota. Starting on the evening of April 18, a 22-year-old man from Circle was at the wheel of a Subaru heading east on Montana Highway 200, between Winnett and Jordan.
One year, nearly 900 investigations: Tech-based child sex abuse on rise in Montana

5 days ago | billingsgazette.com | Paul Hamby

Earlier this month, a Montana man admitted to sexually exploiting and abusing at least eight girls in Bozeman and Billings. In a scheme to produce child sex abuse material, Tyrell Forest Anderson manipulated underage girls into sharing sexually compromising photos of themselves, which he saved and shared. To do it, Anderson used one of the most popular social media platforms on the planet.
Retrial ordered for Billings man suspected in fatal hit-and-run

6 days ago | news-journal.com | Paul Hamby

A Yellowstone County court overturned a Billings man’s negligent homicide conviction this month, and his case is slated for a retrial. Along with negligent homicide, Anthony Lee Wegner was charged with failing to stop at the scene of a deadly crash and tampering with evidence. A county jury found him guilty last year, with their decision overturned when Wegner’s defense found prosecutors had overstepped their bounds in presenting evidence during his trial.
Retrial ordered for Billings man suspected in fatal hit-and-run

6 days ago | billingsgazette.com | Paul Hamby

A Yellowstone County court overturned a Billings man’s negligent homicide conviction this month, and his case is slated for a retrial. Along with negligent homicide, Anthony Lee Wegner was charged with failing to stop at the scene of a deadly crash and tampering with evidence. A county jury found him guilty of all three counts last year, with their decision overturned when Wegner’s defense found prosecutors had overstepped their bounds in presenting evidence during his trial.
Early morning snowstorm leaves parts of Billings without power

1 week ago | billingsgazette.com | Paul Hamby

Thousands of houses across Billings lost power Thursday morning after a wet, spring snowstorm dropped more than 5 inches of heavy snow on the region. Northwestern Energy reported outages in 10 different neighborhoods across the Heights, in the North Park area downtown, a string of neighborhoods along Rimrock Road, in midtown and on the far West End. At least 2,000 customers were without power as of Thursday morning.
Survivors of rapist Lame Deer pastor file lawsuit alleging negligence

1 week ago | billingsgazette.com | Paul Hamby

The survivors of a pastor’s sexual abuse on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation have filed a lawsuit against him, his wife and the church where he served. Also named in the suit were Smith’s wife, Keli Smith, Morning Star Baptist Church, the Montana Southern Baptist Convention and Youthworks, a faith-based organization that facilitates mission trips for young adults. The survivors are alleging an effort to cover up the abuse that Smith inflicted on seven girls.
Survivors of rapist Lame Deer pastor file lawsuit alleging negligence

1 week ago | billingsgazette.com | Paul Hamby

The survivors of a pastor’s sexual abuse on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation have filed a lawsuit against him, his wife and the church where he served. Also named in the suit were Smith’s wife, Keli Smith, Morning Star Baptist Church, the Montana Southern Baptist Convention and Youthworks, a faith-based organization that facilitates mission trips for young adults. The survivors are alleging an effort to cover up the abuse that Smith inflicted on seven girls.
The joys of spring: Snowfall expected over Billings

1 week ago | billingsgazette.com | Paul Hamby

The sunshine could only last so long in Billings. Starting Wednesday night, the National Weather Service announced a spring storm will bring rain and snow to the region of South-Central Montana, with several inches of snowfall expected to accumulate in Billings while foothills of the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness could see over a foot.