May 26—A Bigfork man with a history of impersonating emergency responders is facing a felony charge after allegedly posing as a firefighter at the site of a vehicle wreck near Kila earlier this month.
Prosecutors filed one count of impersonating a public servant against Joshua Wayne Winfree, 35, in Flathead County District Court after a Montana Highway Patrol trooper caught on to his alleged charade on May 17. Winfree is expected to appear before Judge Amy Eddy on June 5 for his arraignment.
Winfree’s alleged deceit began unraveling after members of the Smith Valley Fire Department got into an argument with him while responding to an automobile wreck near the intersection of U.S. 2 and Bighorn Drive about 2 p.m. The trooper initially assumed that Winfree, allegedly wearing a helmet displaying St. Regis Fire emblems, was an emergency responder and asked him about the crash.
He gestured at other first responders at the scene and told the trooper that they had taken over the scene, court documents stated. When she inquired about his position with the St. Regis Volunteer Fire Department, he allegedly said he was “on reserve right now.”
But Smith Valley Fire Department personnel at the scene told the trooper that they knew Winfree had impersonated first responders in the past, according to court documents.
Contacting an assistant chief in St. Regis, the trooper learned that the agency terminated Winfree in February 2025. The reasons for Winfree’s dismissal included his history of posing as an emergency responder and lying about his criminal history, court documents said.
A driver involved in the wreck and a witness later told the trooper that they believed Winfree to be a first responder. He had asked them questions about the crash and provided first aid care to two children, court documents alleged.
Under subsequent questioning, Winfree allegedly told conflicting stories about his history and training. Learning that he was on probation, the trooper received permission to search Winfree’s vehicle, which boasted emergency lights and a siren, according to court documents. Inside, she allegedly found a two-way radio.
Winfree has three prior convictions in California for impersonating a firefighter and faced similar accusations in Northwest Montana, according to court documents.
In March 2024, Winfree was sentenced in Lake County on a criminal mischief conviction in Lake County that stemmed from his allegedly recklessly driving along Montana 35 and onto U.S. 93 in a pickup truck bearing the words “FIRE” on its rear. Winfree pleaded guilty by way of an Alford plea after taking a deal from prosecutors that saw them dismiss a second impersonation case.
In an Alford plea, a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges a jury likely would convict them.
Impersonating a public servant carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.
News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.