Holly MatkinGreat Falls, MT – A Great Falls woman has been arrested for allegedly exposing herself in front of children while trying to fight another woman outside a fitness class over the summer.
According to court documents, the incident occurred at approximately 5:40 p.m. on Aug. 25 in the area of 8th Avenue North and 15th Street North.
Belinda Hayes later told police she and her husband and her 15-year-old daughter were waiting for her juvenile son to finish up his fitness class at that location when Linda Bernadette Bigbeaver stormed over and began threatening her and making “odd” gestures, Cascade County Attorney Joshua Racki wrote in the initial complaint.
Hayes said she has known Bigbeaver her entire life, police noted.
Hayes said she jumped into her vehicle to get away from Bigbeaver and told her there were kids in the area and to go away, according to prosecutors.
When Hayes grabbed her phone to call police, Bigbeaver allegedly ran across the street and exposed her breasts to Hayes and Hayes’ daughter.
Just then, Hayes’ husband and juvenile son walked outside and happened to see Bigbeaver on the street corner “repeatedly pulling her shirt down to expose herself to them,” according to court documents.
Hayes’ husband told investigators “he also saw her buttocks as her pants were down around her knees and she was turning around showing ‘everything off,’” Racki wrote.
Hayes’ teen daughter told police she saw the entire confrontation between her mother and Bigbeaver, to include seeing Bigbeaver “flashing herself,” according to court documents.
Katrina Bava, who doesn’t know Bigbeaver or Hayes, said she saw Bigbeaver “acting very odd and yelling” at Hayes, so she yelled at both of them to “calm down” because the children were coming out of the fitness class, Racki said.
Bava said she also saw Bigbeaver exposing her breasts while the kids were coming out of the building.
According to court documents, Bigbeaver has an extensive misdemeanor criminal history.
“This incident took place in the presence of a youth event, and in front of at least two juveniles,” Racki wrote. “Bigbeaver knowingly or purposely exposed her genitals or intimate parts…under circumstances in which she knew the conduct was likely to cause affront or alarm in order to abuse, humiliate, harass, or degrade another.”
Bigbeaver has been charged with felony indecent exposure and faces up to 100 years in prison and a $50,000 fine if convicted.
She could also be given a probation sentence.
