Missoula Man Arrested for His 8th DUI, His BAC Was .293

On August 7, 2022, a Missoula County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a 911 call reporting a drunk driver. The caller reported that a male had shown up at his residence, slurring words, and asking how to get to Frenchtown. The caller wrote down the male’s license plate number and called law enforcement.  

The deputy located a matching Ram truck on North Reserve and observed the vehicle slowly and awkwardly back up before exiting a parking lot. The vehicle drove into oncoming traffic and pulled up to the left of another vehicle at a stop sign. The deputy initiated his overhead lights, but the suspect vehicle continued at low speeds for several blocks before finally stopping at another gas station. 

The driver stumbled out of the vehicle holding his keys and was obviously intoxicated. The male was eventually identified by his Missoula identification card as 63-year-old Leonard Slawson. The deputy also discovered that Slawson’s license was revoked. 

The deputy conducted a DUI investigation. Slawson was unable to focus or track light to perform an HGN test. In addition, Slawson was unable to perform the walk and turn test, stating he could not put his feet heel to toe. He said he could not balance on one leg due to injuries.  

The deputy requested that Slawson perform a preliminary breath test. The PBT result was .293 BAC, which is over three times the legal limit. Slawson was placed under arrest for DUI and he was transported to the Missoula County Detention Center.  

Slawson is currently being charged with felony DUI and driving with a suspended or revoked license. According to court documents, this is Slawson’s 8th DUI. 

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.