Armed shoplifting suspect picks up robbery charge

Jun. 25—Allegedly threatening employees of a big box retailer with a knife while shoplifting in Kalispell last week has earned a 31-year-old man a felony charge.

Held in the county jail with bail set at $50,000, Dominic Prichard is expected to appear in Flathead County District Court before Judge Danni Coffman on June 26 for his arraignment on one count of robbery.

Prichard came to the attention of employees at the Hutton Ranch Road store about 7:35 a.m., June 19, according to court documents. That's when his card was declined at a register, court documents said.

Prichard allegedly began to walk away from the till with a cart bearing $158.93 in goods. When the cashier told him the card was declined, he grabbed a bag of unpaid items and headed for the exit, court documents said.

En route, he ran into a store asset protection employee, according to court documents. As she approached, he allegedly pulled a thin black item from his pocket.

"I have a switchblade," he allegedly told her.

As she stepped away, Prichard left the store, according to court documents.

Responding Kalispell Police officers found Prichard sitting in the passenger seat of one truck and the bag of stolen goods in a second nearby pickup, court documents alleged. Retrieving the bag, officers found a knife clipped to it, court documents said.

Prichard, meanwhile, told officers he made the shopping trip to get a battery for a friend's recreational vehicle, which was parked in front of a defunct big box retail store. He allegedly admitted walking out of the store with a bag of toy cars intended for his nephew.

Prichard similarly acknowledged "talking trash" with store security and admitted threatening to kill the employee, court documents said. While he said he had a knife on him, he denied pulling it out.

If convicted of felony robbery, Prichard faces between two and 40 years in Montana State Prison and a fine of up to $50,000.