Man accused of trying to drive ex off the road sentenced

A man accused of chasing his ex-girlfriend through Columbia Falls last year earned a suspended sentence in Flathead County District Court in January. 

Jesus Gerardo Berumen, 48, initially faced felony criminal endangerment and criminal possession of dangerous drugs charges following his April 9 arrest, but struck a plea deal in November. In exchange for a guilty plea to the drug possession charge and admitting to the violation of an order of protection, prosecutors offered to drop the count of criminal endangerment.

Prosecutors also agreed to recommend Berumen receive a suspended three-year sentence to the state Department of Corrections.

Berumen changed his plea to guilty on Nov. 17. 

Judge Danni Coffman stuck to the terms of the plea deal at Berumen’s Jan. 18 sentencing. She also gave Berumen credit for 134 days of time served. 

Authorities alleged that Berumen tried to ram his ex-partner several times or run her into a ditch during the vehicle pursuit through Columbia Falls. Making it to a friend’s house, she took shelter inside, court documents. 

When authorities tracked Berumen down, he gave differing accounts of what happened, but ultimately admitted to following the victim, hoping to talk with her, according to court documents. He denied trying to run her vehicle off the road, court documents said. 

Officers found $917 in cash on him and two sandwich bags filled with suspected methamphetamine, court documents alleged. The contents of the bags weighed about seven grams.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.