POLSON, Mont. — Polson police said a car fire near Division Street and 1st Street East early July 5, 2026 led to a felony charge after investigators said a man was trying to siphon gas from parked cars.
Officers responded at about 4:00 a.m. and found the fire had spread from one vehicle to several others nearby. Police said the vehicles belonged to customers of a nearby automotive repair business.
The Polson Fire Department and Polson Rural Fire District put out the fire and stopped it from spreading farther. Police reported that several vehicles were badly damaged or destroyed.
Police arrested Andrew Bybee in connection with the fire. He was charged with felony criminal mischief.
Polson police said the investigation found the gasoline ignited while the suspect was allegedly trying to siphon it from the parked vehicles.
Chief George Simpson said the case showed how quickly a crime can put people and property in danger.
“This incident serves as a reminder that criminal activity can have serious and unintended consequences that put lives and property at risk. I want to commend the swift response of our officers, our fire service partners and our neighboring law enforcement agencies. Their teamwork and professionalism helped bring this dangerous situation under control quickly and ensured the suspect was taken into custody,” said Polson Chief of Police George Simpson.
Police also thanked the Polson Fire Department, Polson Rural Fire District, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Flathead Tribal Police Department and Montana Adult Probation and Parole for helping with the response and investigation.
The charge against Bybee was an accusation and he was presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.