Teen pleads not guilty in wreck death

By HEIDI DESCH

Hungry Horse News

A 15-year-old male pleaded not guilty last week in Flathead County District Court for his role in the traffic death of a Columbia Falls woman.

Phillip John Wisnewski is charged with one count of negligent homicide and one count of obstructing an officer.

Sara June Carter, 22, was killed in a July 3 crash on U.S. 2 near Glacier Park International Airport. Carter graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 2003 and was a soccer and tennis player.

She had been a passenger in a Hyundai traveling south when a pickup allegedly driven by Wisnewski tried to make a U-turn in front of them. The car she was in then swerved into the northbound land and was struck head-on by another car. The car that Carter was in burst into flames.

The pickup allegedly driven by Wisnewski left the scene of the accident but was tracked down later.

Drivers of both cars sustained minor injuries. There were reportedly five other teenagers in the truck at the time of the crash and none were injured.

If convicted, Wisnewski could face as long as 20 years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine on the negligent homicide charge and as long as six months in jail or a maximum $500 fine on the obstruction charge.

Wisnewski's trial is set to begin in the Jan. 2, 2008 jury term.