For the best experienceDownload the Mobile App
App Store Play Store
Allegedly ransacking a helicopter earns Kalispell man a pair of felony charges
Allegedly ransacking a helicopter earns Kalispell man a pair of felony charges
Allegedly ransacking a helicopter earns Kalispell man a pair of felony charges

Published on: 07/09/2025

Description

A Kalispell man accused of ransacking a helicopter in June allegedly said he thought it was headed to the scrapyard.  

Darin Darold Zick, 53, faces felony counts of criminal mischief and attempted theft in Flathead County District Court following his June 20 arrest at the Kalispell City Airport. Zick, who remains behind bars with bail set at $75,000, pleaded not guilty before Judge Danni Coffman at his June 30 arraignment.  

Coffman set a pretrial hearing in the case for Aug. 8.  

Kalispell Police officers arrested Zick after the helicopter's captain arrived at the airport to find the rotorcraft in disarray, according to court documents. The rear hatch was jettisoned and gear was scattered on the ground. 

A man, later identified as Zick, sat down nearby as employees of the firm that owned the helicopter approached, court documents said. Confronted, Zick allegedly told the crew that he thought the rotorcraft was being scrapped. When asked about the items from inside the helicopter left strewn about, Zick claimed them as his and restated his belief that the chopper was destined for the scrapyard, court documents said. 

Surveillance footage turned over to investigators captured Zick approach and then climb on top of the helicopter, court documents said. It later shows him allegedly getting inside the rotorcraft where he stayed for about two hours. 

The crew estimated the value of the items pulled out of the chopper at more than $30,000. The captain told investigators that they found damage to the interior of the helicopter as well, including the loss of equipment necessary to fly it. Damage to the rotorcraft was estimated at more than $1,500, court documents said.  

The loss to the company that owns the helicopter was likely much more, though. The captain said that the firm is contracting with the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to fight wildfires and is on a $30,000 a day retainer. Knocking the helicopter out of commission for days posed a potential "significant loss of revenue," court documents said. 

Both felony charges are punishable by a 10-year stint in Montana State Prison. Criminal mischief comes with a maximum $50,000 fine while attempted theft carries a fine of up to $10,000.  

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].

News Source : https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2025/jul/09/allegedly-ransacking-a-helicopter-earns-kalispell-man-a-pair-of-felony-charges/

Other Related News

Preserving the written word: Flathead High School relaunches 'The Quiver' literary magazine
Preserving the written word: Flathead High School relaunches 'The Quiver' literary magazine

08/31/2025

Like its namesake Quiver Flathead High Schools literary magazine is a repository for the ...

Rooted in art: Woodworker builds unique pieces to accentuate any room
Rooted in art: Woodworker builds unique pieces to accentuate any room

08/31/2025

Nathaniel Gray stands in his wood shop looking over a massive piece of redwood spanning n...

The PFAS Problem: How other cities compare to Kalispell’s 'forever chemical' mitigation efforts
The PFAS Problem: How other cities compare to Kalispell’s 'forever chemical' mitigation efforts

08/31/2025

Between navigating federal law sampling wells digging new ones suing PFAS manufacturers a...

All Anaconda shooting case documents sealed
All Anaconda shooting case documents sealed

08/31/2025

All legal documents in the court case of the man accused of shooting and killing four Ana...

Ballots are out for Bigfork Fire’s proposed bond and mill levy
Ballots are out for Bigfork Fire’s proposed bond and mill levy

08/30/2025

Bigfork Fire District voters are set to decide on a proposed mill levy and bond to fund a...

ShoutoutGive Shoutout
500/500