Drunk Driver Nearly Causes Several Accidents, Fights With Pedestrians

Starting at around 4:30 Monday afternoon, Missoula County 911 received six separate calls regarding the driver of a maroon vehicle. According to Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh, several incidents were reported between Lolo and Missoula.

“The complaints seemed to be getting closer to Missoula,” Welsh said. “It wasn’t long after that that officers were advised of a disturbance taking place in the 400 block of N. California Street. When they arrived, they found the vehicle that matched the description of the one from the earlier complaints. They also identified the male driver as 31-year-old Fabian Bautista from Alberton.”

When law enforcement arrived, Bautista was laying on the ground with a bloody and swollen face. Onlookers reported that Bautista had been yelling at people and started throwing things at a male and female, approached them, and started fighting with the male. A second male jumped in to assist the first male while a third called 911.

According to court documents, one witness said the vehicle “cut between them” and was only inches away from causing an accident.

Ten minutes later, another witness told 911 that the vehicle had passed him and cut him off so badly that he had to swerve into a turning lane to avoid a collision.

Another witness said the vehicle came flying up behind her and almost rear-ended her. She reported that it looked like the driver was going to roll his vehicle, and she was very afraid that he was going to kill someone.

Twenty minutes later, another witness observed the vehicle then going the wrong way on a one-way street.

According to officers, Bautista smelled of alcoholic beverages and several vodka bottles were observed in his vehicle. Standardized Field Sobriety Tests were not conducted at that time because he was transported to St. Patrick’s Hospital for medical treatment.

Bautista is currently being held for criminal endangerment, DUI, and driving with a suspended license.