Challis man who damaged property with front loader accepts plea deal

A Challis man accused of causing over $125,000 in property damage in Bonneville County in February has accepted a plea deal.

Michael Jon Bauchman, 39, was charged with two felony counts of burglary and one misdemeanor count of malicious injury to property. He was also charged with felony malicious injury to property in another case.

Felony malicious injury to property carries a sentence of one to five years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Each count of felony burglary is punishable by one to 10 years of imprisonment.

Bauchman pleaded not guilty to the charges on April 9.

In the plea agreement, Bauchman agreed to plead guilty to two charges, burglary and malicious injury to property. The agreement would dismiss the second burglary charge and the felony property charge.

A condition in the plea agreement is that Bauchman apply to treatment court. If he is accepted, the state agrees to recommend probation. The probation will also have special conditions, including that Bauchman complete problem-solving court.

If he is not accepted to treatment court, the state is free to argue the terms of the sentence imposed by the court.

Bauchman was scheduled for his sentencing at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. During the hearing, Bauchman’s attorney, Justin Oleson, told the court that Bauchman was placed in felony treatment court. Still, he was not accepted due to it being full and is awaiting to be moved over to the problem-solving court.

Bauchman told the court he would be talking with his probation officer Wednesday, and the court proceeding was continued.

According to court records, on Feb 21, just after 4 p.m., the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence at the 2000 South block of 65th West for a burglary that had occurred.

A neighbor living near the home told deputies that the resident living there told them they had seen a stranger walk into their home. The neighbor noticed a vehicle was parked outside the home and entered, where they found the stranger.

The stranger was identified as Bauchman and according to court records, he was holding a hammer and ran outside of the home, using a different vehicle. The neighbor noticed the car that belonged to the resident at the home had its driver-side tires slashed.

Deputies searched the home and found a backpack with documents that had Bauchman’s name on them. A knife was found in the bag that matched to the damage caused on the tires.

Later, deputies were notified of a disturbance involving a man who was using a front loader tractor and was trying to run over people. The location of the disturbance was three miles away at the 7000 W. Block of West Broadway.

The man involved in the disturbance was identified as Bauchman, who had recently broken into a home three miles away.

Deputies had to use a 40 mm less-than-lethal impact device to get Bauchman into custody. Deputies noticed that Bauchman had used the front loader to damage a John Deere tractor and other parts of the property.

It was estimated Bauchman had caused $125,000 worth of property damage.

Bauchman’s sentencing hearing is now scheduled at 8:30 a.m. June 20 in front of District Judge Bruce Pickett.