Madison County Sheriff's Office - Montana

Madison County Sheriff's Office - Montana The Mission of the Madison County Sheriff's Office is to Serve and Protect Persons and Property Meta Platforms, Inc., owns and operates facebook.com.

General information:

**Do not report crimes or other emergencies via this page. Call 911 for emergencies or use the non-emergency line at (406) 843-5301**

Welcome to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office official page on Facebook. The purpose of this site is to present matters of public interest concerning the Madison County Sheriff’s Office programs, activities, news stories and photos. We welcome your comments; however, please note this is a moderated online discussion. If you need an official source of information about the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, please visit our website at https://madisoncountymt.gov/154/Sheriffs-Office

Comments made by the public to our page will be reviewed, and while comments will not be edited by our personnel, the Office reserves the right to remove comments that include:
· Obscenities.
· Sexual content.
· Speech presenting a grave and imminent threat.
· Fighting words.
· True threats.
· Fraud.
· Solicitations to commit, or speech integral to, criminal conduct.
· Promotion or advertisement of a business or commercial transaction.
· Copyrighted material (if posted without the copyright holder’s consent.)
· Comments containing another person's personal protected information (PII). The Office may take steps to have a comment removed if it falls within one of the aforementioned categories. Also, please keep in mind that this is an internet page on facebook.com. It has its own policies and standards concerning what may, and may not, be posted and the actions that it may take with regard to unauthorized posts. See “Facebook Community Standards” at www.facebook.com/communitystandards/. The Office may also take steps to remove “robo spam” and/or comments by “social bots” (i.e. content posted by automatic software programs, or “bots”) if necessary to ensure access for the general public. Furthermore, while we encourage debate and discussion, we respectfully request that commenters be mindful that this site is open to the public and that commenters be courteous and civil toward one another. The Office is not responsible for, and neither endorses nor opposes, comments placed on this site by visitors to this site. Commenters are personally responsible for their own comments, username, and/or any information placed on this page by the commenter. Please do not report emergencies or ask for assistance on this page. For law enforcement service, call 406-843-5301 or in an emergency, dial 911. The Sheriff, who is elected by the residents of Madison County, is the chief executive officer of the agency. He and his command staff manage the day to day investigations, evidence management, civil process, and a number of support operations necessary to provide full law enforcement coverage and services for Madison County.

Fatal Bicycle Crash Under InvestigationMADISON COUNTY, MONTANA — On September 6, 2026, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the M...
09/11/2026

Fatal Bicycle Crash Under Investigation

MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA — On September 6, 2026, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the Madison County Communications Center received a report of a single-bicycle crash involving critical injuries.
The incident is believed to have involved only the bicyclist, with no other individuals or vehicles involved.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Valley Ambulance, and Life Flight responded to the scene. Responders and witnesses attempted lifesaving measures; however, those efforts were unsuccessful.
The Madison County Sheriff/Coroner’s Office is investigating the cause and manner of death.
No further information will be released until the family has been notified.

Death Investigation at Renova Hot SpringsMADISON COUNTY, MONTANA — On September 1, 2026, at approximately 8:50 a.m., the...
09/11/2026

Death Investigation at Renova Hot Springs

MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA — On September 1, 2026, at approximately 8:50 a.m., the Madison County Communications Center received a report of a deceased male located in the water at Renova Hot Springs.
Renova Hot Springs is located in Madison County, approximately 11 miles south of Whitehall along the Jefferson River.
Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the area, assisted by Ruby Valley Ambulance. Upon arrival, responders located a deceased male, identified as David Crowley.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mr. Crowley’s death. No additional information regarding the circumstances or cause of death is being released at this time.
Additional information will be released as appropriate once the investigation is complete.

Armed Barricaded Subject Incident Near PonyMADISON COUNTY, MONTANA — On August 24, 2026, the Madison County Communicatio...
09/11/2026

Armed Barricaded Subject Incident Near Pony

MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA — On August 24, 2026, the Madison County Communications Center received a 911 hang-up call regarding a reported domestic disturbance in the Pony area.
Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the residence. Prior to their arrival, the male subject had left the location. Following the initial investigation, a protective order related to Partner or Family Member Assault (PFMA) was issued.
On the evening of August 25, Steven Killian returned to the residence in violation of the order. Killian left the area before law enforcement arrived, and deputies subsequently issued an arrest warrant.
Deputies later located Killian’s pickup near Pony. Killian remained barricaded inside the vehicle and was armed with a fi***rm. Two Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded, with four Montana Highway Patrol troopers assisting.
Law enforcement attempted to negotiate with Killian and resolve the incident peacefully. During the incident, Killian sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
No danger to the surrounding community, and no law enforcement officers or other members of the public were injured.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office extends its condolences to Mr. Killian’s family and those affected by this incident.

Follow-Up: August 18 Incident Near Jensen Park – Twin BridgesThe Madison County Sheriff’s Office is providing a follow-u...
09/11/2026

Follow-Up: August 18 Incident Near Jensen Park – Twin Bridges

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is providing a follow-up regarding the incident that occurred on August 18, 2026, near Jensen Park in Twin Bridges.
The deceased individual has been identified as Louis Ochoa III. The investigation determined the injury was self-inflicted.
Investigators do not suspect foul play, and there is no threat to the public.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office extends its condolences to Mr. Ochoa’s family and friends.

Today, we pause to remember September 11, 2001.Twenty-five years have passed, but we have not forgotten the lives lost t...
09/11/2026

Today, we pause to remember September 11, 2001.
Twenty-five years have passed, but we have not forgotten the lives lost that day, the families whose lives were forever changed, and the first responders who ran toward danger when others were trying to escape it.
We remember the firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, dispatchers, military members, and ordinary citizens who demonstrated extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
Today, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office joins communities across our nation in honoring those we lost, those who answered the call, and those who continue to carry the weight of that day.
We will never forget

09/11/2026

🇺🇸 9/11 Memorial Walk/Run – Honoring the Fallen 🇺🇸

This Friday, September 11, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, a day that forever changed our nation and one we will never forget.

In remembrance of the firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS personnel, and other first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice while helping others, Madison Valley Rural Fire Department invites our entire community to join us for a 1-mile 9/11 Memorial Walk/Run.

📍 Madison Valley Rural Fire Station #1
5037 US Highway 287, Ennis

🕕 6:00 PM

🇺🇸 1-Mile Memorial Walk/Run

You do not have to walk or run to be part of this evening. We welcome everyone, families, friends, neighbors, veterans, first responders, and community members of all ages, to come spend the evening with us, show your support, and help us honor those who gave their lives.

Those participating in the memorial mile will have the opportunity to carry an American flag and the name of a fallen first responder, making each step a tribute to someone who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others.

Multiple fire departments, emergency services, and public safety agencies from throughout Madison County will be joining us, and we would love to see our community there alongside us.

Whether you walk, run, or simply come to stand with us, your presence is welcome and appreciated.

Come as you are. Bring your family. Bring your neighbors. Help us fill Station #1 with a community that remembers. ❤️🤍💙

25 years later, we still remember. We still honor. We will never forget. 🇺🇸

Please join us to attend a public training on Monday September 14, 2026 at the Madison County Community Room across from...
09/10/2026

Please join us to attend a public training on Monday September 14, 2026 at the Madison County Community Room across from the courthouse in Virginia City at 6:30pm put on by expert School Resource Officer Dave Gomez.

Social media topics include Kids vs Parents, Bullying, Dangers of Social Media, Facebook Security, Current Applications, SnapChat, Fellow Classmate Predators, and Dangers of GPS.

Update 8/31/2026
09/01/2026

Update 8/31/2026

08/30/2026

Town of Ennis Water Alert: One of the Town’s well houses was struck by lightning, temporarily limiting water pumping capacity. Repairs may take several days.

Please conserve water until further notice. Turn off sprinklers and limit water use to essential needs only. Reducing demand will help prevent the system from becoming overwhelmed during repairs.

08/20/2026

On the evening of Monday, August 17, multiple agencies responded to a wildland fire in the Shining Mountains area south of Ennis. During the incident, staff with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Madison County Department of Emergency Management became aware of reports on community social media pages from residents who said they were unable to reach 911.

Over the past 36 hours, we have reviewed the circumstances surrounding those reports to determine whether a technology or service outage affected the Ennis area.

The Madison County Communications Center operates five incoming 911 lines and seven additional administrative lines. When all five 911 lines are in use, additional incoming calls roll over to the other available lines.

Between 8:00 p.m. and 8:36 p.m. Monday evening, the two dispatchers on duty answered, documented, and processed 103 calls. For perspective, that is approximately the number of calls the Communications Center would normally handle over a seven-day period—received in just 36 minutes.

Our review found no evidence of a technological failure or 911 service outage in the Ennis area that evening. Instead, the Communications Center experienced an extraordinary volume of simultaneous incoming calls, temporarily exceeding all 12 available incoming lines.

Situations of this magnitude are extremely uncommon and occur perhaps once every other year. When all available lines are occupied at the same time, a caller may temporarily be unable to connect until a line becomes available.

We understand how concerning it is to attempt to call 911 during an emergency and not immediately get through. We also want our community to know that our dispatchers were actively answering and processing calls throughout the incident while managing an exceptionally high call volume.

As a reminder, 911 should always be used for emergencies requiring an immediate response. For non-emergency matters or to reach Madison County Dispatch, please call 406-843-5301. Using the non-emergency line when appropriate helps keep 911 lines available for those experiencing an immediate emergency.

We appreciate the community members who brought their concerns forward and gave us the opportunity to review what occurred and provide clarification.

Address

5 Placer Loop
Virginia City, MT
59755

Telephone

(406) 843-5301

Website

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