Complaint alleges Montana man ran over wife, killing her

GREAT FALLS – A 61-year-old Browning man is in federal custody on suspicion of killing his wife by running her over with a pickup truck near U.S. Highway 2 between Browning and Cut Bank.

Thomas Edward Mancha was arrested on Jan. 18 and the next day a federal magistrate found probable cause to detain him on suspicion of second-degree murder in the Jan. 1 death of Charlene Mancha on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. He has not been indicted and hasn’t entered a plea.

Court records say a witness was calling 911 to report a fight between the two when he saw Mancha run her over twice.

The Great Falls Tribune reports (gftrib.com/2kxh3wc) the witness drove back toward Browning with Mancha following, but that Mancha turned off the highway at Blackfoot.

Court records say Mancha drove in front of an oncoming train near Blackfoot, causing serious, but not life-threatening injuries.