Missoula Weekly Crime Report: Vehicular Homicide Trial Ends
Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - The Missoula County Attorney’s Office charged 19 criminal complaints this week, which is three more than last week and higher than the weekly average. On Friday’s Talk Back show, County Attorney Kirsten Pabst provided her weekly report.
“Six of those were crimes against persons and two involved children,” Pabst said. “There were two cases that involved an attempted assault with a vehicle. We charged one sexual abuse of children case involving an allegation that a person was purportedly trying to meet with a child for purposes of sexual contact.”
According to Pabst, her office also charged four endangerment cases.
“Two of those involved high-speed chases that allegedly endangered several other people along the way,” Pabst said. “There were five new property crimes. Two people were charged regarding their roles in the theft of stolen copper and a stolen 4x4. There was one new drug case and two administrative crimes. One was interference with parent-child contact and the other was a fugitive from the state of California.”
In addition to the new cases this week, Pabst said her office was busy with a jury trial as well.
“In that case, the defendant was charged with negligent vehicular homicide and three counts of criminal endangerment,” Pabst said. “Back in April of 2021, he drove the wrong way down Interstate 90 near the rock creek exit and hit, head-on, a car full of teenagers. My prosecutors Caityln Creighton and Andrea Haney presented a very good, sound case to the jury.”
On September 29, 2022, the jury came back with a guilty verdict on all four counts. You can listen to Pabst's full report below: