Missoula Prosecutors Handle a Dozen Felony Cases

Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst says her office handled a dozen felony cases over the course of the past week.

"We had about 12 new cases this week, there were three theft cases, two felony DUIs, one of which the gentleman was apparently on probation and this is his eighth offense," Pabst said. "Three new drug cases, two meth, one heroin, a disorderly conduct and a smattering of family violence cases, which are always concerning."

If that case about a man with an 8th DUI sounds surprising, Pabst says the highest number of DUI’s she’s seen someone convicted of is well beyond that.

"I remember prosecuting, a man, I think, for a 13th DUI offense," Pabst said. He was extremely indignant and he told the judge 'yup, and if I get out I'll do it again and you better hope you're not standing in front of me."

Pabst says that recently, there was an 11th DUI offense in Missoula. Prosecutors in that case used Montana’s three strikes law known as the “Persistent Felony Offender” law to ensure that the offender stayed in jail for a longer sentence.