Bartender Denies Overserving Woman Killed In Crash

A 27-year-old former employee at a Frenchtown bar who is accused of continuing to serve alcohol to an intoxicated customer who later died in a car crash has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unlawful sale of alcohol.

Jade Carole Thomas of Missoula entered her plea in Justice Court on Wednesday. Thomas Michael Porter, who owns the Alcan, faces the same charge.

The charges were filed after the Sept. 27, 2010 death of 33-year-old Erika Ringleb, whose blood-alcohol concentration was 0.25 percent, three times the legal limit.

Court records say Ringleb was drinking beer at the Alcan by 10:30 a.m. that day and had four shots of whiskey.

Her debit card was last swiped at the bar around 2:30 p.m., and she died about 30 minutes later.

Associated Press