Missoula Deputy Foils Stolen Truck Operation From Flathead County

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - A business in Flathead County reported that one of their trucks was stolen. On December 1, 2024, at 9:11 a.m., a Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputy was patrolling near the vicinity of the Wye and observed the stolen vehicle parked and running on the north side of a gas station.  

The truck exhibited no front license plate and had litter around it. The deputy drove to the back of the truck and ran the license plate. He learned that the truck was stolen from a business out of Flathead County.  

Deputies conducted a high-risk traffic stop and commands were given to the occupants to put their hands up. 51-year-old Todd Rice was determined to be the driver of the vehicle. A female was seated in the passenger’s seat. Initially, Rice and the female were not very cooperative with commands. After a few minutes, they walked backward upon command and were taken into custody.  

During the apprehension process, Rice tossed a pair of keys on the ground. A deputy contacted a representative of the business by phone. The representative stated that the vehicle was left outside with the keys hidden inside it for an employee to pick up and that the vehicle does not lock. The deputy reported that stickers indicating ownership of the vehicle by the business had been scraped off. 

READ MORE: Missoula News – Crime Reports 

Deputies interviewed the female passenger and she asked why she was being detained. A deputy explained the vehicle she was found in had been reported as stolen. According to court documents, she said that she wanted to tell deputies everything.  

She said she was at her sister’s house when her husband, Rice, showed up with the truck and told her he had gotten a job down in Missoula and they gave him the vehicle to get to the job site. She said they stopped in Polson overnight and then floated around the Wye in Missoula "waiting for the business" to show up. 

Rice was placed under arrest and was transported to the Missoula County Detention Center. He is currently being charged with felony theft of property of a light vehicle.  

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.