Latest news with #MontanaHighwayPatrol
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alleged drunk driving crash near Kalispell costs passenger an arm
Jun. 27—Prosecutors say a driver involved in a U.S. 2 wreck earlier this month that cost her passenger a limb had a breath alcohol concentration of more than twice the legal limit. Kelly Ann Hartigan, 48, faces one count of felony negligent vehicular homicide in Flathead County District Court following the June 14 crash. Held in the county jail with bail set at $100,000, she is scheduled to appear before Judge Danni Coffman on June 30 for her arraignment. Hartigan was headed eastbound on U.S. 2 near Kalispell when she drove off the road and hit a light pole, according to court documents. The collision tore the right arm off of her passenger at the shoulder, and Hartigan allegedly continued driving for another 500 yards before stopping. An arriving Montana Highway Patrol trooper allegedly smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage on Hartigan. They described her as unsteady on her feet and seemed poised to fall over, according to court documents. During the ensuing field sobriety tests, Hartigan allegedly showed multiple signs of impairment. She also sported glossy eyes and swayed on her feet. A subsequent breath test returned with an alcohol content of 0.180, according to court documents. Investigators later secured a blood draw at a medical center following her arrest. If convicted, Hartigan faces up to 10 years behind bars and a fine of $10,000. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Motorcyclist killed in crash near Thompson Falls
Jun. 11—A Hot Springs man died Tuesday in a motorcycle crash in Sanders County. The 44-year-old man was riding a Harley Davidson XL 1200X northbound on Montana Secondary Highway 471 near Thompson Falls when the crash occurred at about 2:45 p.m. According to the Montana Highway Patrol crash report, after failing to negotiate a curve the motorcycle hit the pavement, and the rider was thrown into a guardrail. He died at the scene. The rider was wearing a helmet. Alcohol and speed are suspected factors in the crash, the report states. Road conditions were clear and dry.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Motorcyclist killed in crash near Thompson Falls
Jun. 11—A Hot Springs man died Tuesday in a motorcycle crash in Sanders County. The 44-year-old man was riding a Harley Davidson XL 1200X northbound on Montana Secondary Highway 471 near Thompson Falls when the crash occurred at about 2:45 p.m. According to the Montana Highway Patrol crash report, after failing to negotiate a curve the motorcycle hit the pavement, and the rider was thrown into a guardrail. He died at the scene. The rider was wearing a helmet. Alcohol and speed are suspected factors in the crash, the report states. Road conditions were clear and dry.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Officials ID victim of fatal crash on US 93
May 22—Authorities on Thursday identified the victim of a deadly May 17 crash in Lake County. Elmo resident Sunshine Swalley, 22, was killed in the collision on U.S. 93 near Big Arm, according to Lake County Sheriff Don Bell. According to the Highway Patrol crash report, Swalley was driving a Jeep Wrangler northbound on U.S. 93 at about 2:38 a.m. when she entered the southbound lane and collided head-on with a tanker trailer driven by a 50-year-old Kalispell man. Both vehicles caught fire and temporarily blocked the highway. Swalley died at the scene and the tanker driver was transported to a hospital with injuries. The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by Montana Highway Patrol and the Lake County Coroner's Office. Road conditions were wet at the time of the crash, according to the Highway Patrol report.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Drugs, alcohol suspected in deadly Sunday afternoon wreck
May 19—A 38-year-old Columbia Falls man was killed in what authorities suspect was a drug or alcohol-fueled wreck on Montana 35 near Kalispell on Sunday afternoon. The man was driving in the southbound lane in a Chevrolet Equinox when he allegedly crossed the center line near mile marker 46 at 3:18 p.m. and collided with a Dodge Ram headed in the other direction, according to Montana Highway Patrol. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene. The 38-year-old was not wearing a seatbelt, authorities said. The two men in the Dodge Ram, a 41-year-old driver and a 46-year-old passenger, were both injured in the collision and hospitalized at Logan Health Medical Center. The 46-year-old was not wearing a seatbelt, officials said. Authorities described the road conditions at the time of the wreck as wet. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
