Choices Counseling burglars arrested

Two Superior roomates are in custody on felony burglary charges after allegedly breaking into a Superior business and stealing a computer.

Michael Trent Colvin and Jack Paul Price were arrested on the evening of August 30 after the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office responded to a possible criminal mischief call at 304 Fourth Ave. East in Superior that morning.

According to the affidavit filed by Mineral County Attorney Shaun Donovan, Carol Bidwell, a neighbor, reported that she had heard banging noises during the previous night and found a damaged window and blood stains in the recently rented office building.

The building is the new location for Choices Counseling, a counseling center that deals with addiction and other mental health services, and it is run by Nancy Smith.

Smith is in the process of relocating her business from an office in the Old School Building off of River Street so she can expand her services.

Smith deals with many court-mandated addiction cases and is contracted through Turning Point, a Western Montana addiction services group.

According to the affidavit, Bidwell told police that she thought Colvin was involved in the crime.

Police found, along with a broken window and blood stains, a White Sox baseball cap, a Spark’s brand alcohol container and the head of a golf club at the scene.

The affidavit said that the door to the building was broken open and a Dell computer, valued at $3,500 including software was missing.

Donovan said that the investigating police checked with the Mineral County Hospital and found that Colvin had visited the hospital and was treated for cuts the previous evening.

The affadavit says that deputies then questioned Colvin on his whereabouts that evening. Colvin told deputies that he and Price were drinking on the night when Colvin had a depressive episode, began cutting himself and then blacked out.

Colvin admitted that the baseball cap found at the scene was his and that he had been at the property but said that he did not remember going into the residence.

Colvin and Price allowed deputies to search their home, located about a block away from the scene, where they found several Spark’s brand beverages and the shaft and grip of a golf club that appeared to match the golf club head that was found at the scene.

After further questioning, Colvin told deputies that Price was involved in the theft of the computer.

Price initially denied knowing anything about the computer but after questioning he took Mineral County Deputy Larson and Undersheriff Mike Johnson to a borrowed vehicle. Price had placed the computer in the vehicle’s luggage rack on top of the car.

Price and Colvin each had their initial appearances in front of Judge Edward McLean Monday morning.

As of press time they were still in custody on felony burglary charges. Colvin had a bail bond $25,000 and Price had a bail bond of $10,000.

The maximum penalty for felony burglary is up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.