BOZEMAN — A 55-year-old Belgrade man is behind bars, following a head-on crash on Jackrabbit Lane.
According to court documents, the crash occurred at approximately 10:30 am on Friday, Oct. 3, near Gallatin Heights Drive, when the van the man was driving crossed the center of the road and hit a Volkswagen driven by a Belgrade woman.
The woman was seriously injured and has at least 2 fractured vertebrae in her spine and a broken sternum.
When Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) arrived on the scene, they found the Volkswagen off the road and a van in a creek with "heavy front-end damage." A witness reportedly told the trooper that the van was coming from Big Sky and expressed concerns for the driver's sobriety. The witness added the van was tailgating "everyone" and was driving "aggressive." After the crash occurred, the witness told the trooper that the driver was allegedly eating in his van.
The man reportedly refused medical attention. When the trooper spoke with him, he would not stop moving and allegedly sounded like he had trouble speaking, and struggled to follow basic instructions.
According to evidence and witness statements, the van the man was driving went across the center of the road and hit the Volkswagen head-on. Court documents say the man reportedly told troopers that he used marijuana the night before and meth earlier in the week when he was "trying to court a girl."
A Preliminary Breath Test provided by the man was .000, and he has reportedly been convicted of 2 driving under the influence convictions (DUI) in his lifetime. A blood sample was provided by the man.
The man was scheduled to appear in Gallatin County Justice Court on Monday morning.
