Man allegedly threatened to ‘shoot up’ churches, had sniper nest on a property

A rural Columbia Falls man faces felony charges after he allegedly threatened to “shoot up” churches in the area and threatened a former partner with death as well.

Jacob Daniel Balbas, 33, faces a felony intimidation charge and felony criminal endangerment charges in Flathead County District Court for separate incidents on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.

In one case, he allegedly made violent and vile death text threats against an ex, who was concerned for her safety and her children’s safety on Nov. 1, according to a Columbia Falls Police investigation. 

In the second matter on Nov. 2, he allegedly threatened churches, according to a police investigation. 

“A chaplain had received a report that Balbas was making homicidal statements and was making threats to 'shoot up' churches throughout the Flathead Valley. The chaplain stated that Balbas believed that he died, spoke to God, and has now returned to save the earth,” according to a Columbia Falls police report. 

Police obtained a warrant and searched Balbas’s home. 

They allegedly found a “sniper’s nest.”  

“There was an AR15-style rifle lying next to a window, a 60-round, high-capacity magazine inserted into the weapon, and another 60-round magazine next to the rifle, both fully loaded. The blinds were drawn down, approximately six inches from being fully closed and the screen outside the window had been peeled back in the corner which would enable a shooter to put a barrel through the screen and rest the bipod on the sill of the window. The window directly overlooked the single driveway entrance onto the property. The safety on the rifle was positioned on fire,” the report states. 

There was no other property on the upstairs level of the home. 

Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies were able to locate Balbas near Jellison Road that same day, where he led them on a high-speed chase that basically made a loop through the west side of the Columbia Falls and through the Blue Moon intersection where he was apprehended on Hodgson Road, south of the city. 

Balbas is being held on $1 million bail pending further court appearances.