BOZEMAN — A quiet Tuesday afternoon took a chaotic turn when a man allegedly waved a machete at drivers, then led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit across Bozeman.
“My reflex is to hear a siren and just run out and see what’s going on,” witness Jordan Clement said.
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Clement was working at Scrubby’s when he saw the chase barrel down 7th Avenue.
“You might hear about it, but you never get to see that and experience it firsthand,” he said. “It was neat to see it all and talk to the officers and help out—it was crazy.”
According to charging documents, the incident began when a couple called 911 to report a driver aggressively tailgating them and waving a machete near Springhill Road.
Officers with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Bozeman Police, and Montana Highway Patrol responded, locating the suspect vehicle around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday. But when they attempted a traffic stop, the driver fled.
The suspect, later identified as Miguel Angel Aldava, led officers on a dangerous pursuit through Bozeman city streets before crashing into a Bozeman Police Department SUV.
Aldava was taken into custody at the scene.
“It was a significant event in this town,” said Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer. “I know a lot of people were asking questions about it, and they see lots of law enforcement cars and don’t know what they are doing.”
Springer added the timing of the incident made it more visible to the public than most chases.
“Pursuits happen all over the place, and typically they are more at night, so people probably see or hear more or less of them. This one being the middle of the day—1:30 in the afternoon on a Tuesday.”
Aldava appeared in Gallatin County Justice Court Wednesday before Justice of the Peace Rick West. He faces multiple felony charges, including assault with a weapon, assault on a peace officer, and fleeing from law enforcement. His bond is set at $250,000.
During the hearing, Judge West noted, “Each one carries a $50,000 fine and up to 20 years in the Montana state prison, do you understand that?”
Aldava responded, “Uh yeah, I guess…”
Aldava has a criminal history that includes a 2019 armed robbery and multiple arrests for assault.
Sheriff Springer said the incident highlights the importance of accountability at all levels of crime.
“It is something I have believed in since the beginning of my career, something I believe in today, and we have got to make sure our justice system continues to understand to hold people accountable on the low end—for misdemeanor crimes, minor crimes—it is important, not only holding accountable at the felony levels.”
Still, he says, Bozeman remains a safe place to live.
“By the same token, it’s still one of the safest communities in all of Montana,” Springer said.
Jordan Clement agreed.
“Compared to what I am used to, I feel so safe here—even with the random occurrences,” he said.
Bozeman Police shared this message following the event:
"We previously shared that our K-9 officer and their partner were OK following yesterday’s crash. Both were evaluated, with the officer taken to the hospital and the K-9 seen by a veterinarian. They are currently off duty to recuperate. We’re incredibly grateful they’re OK, and we want to sincerely thank our community for the kind words, well wishes, and support."
