Driver in teacher's death pleads guilty

By Jacob Doran

Bigfork Eagle

For months, the family and friends of Dawn Bowker, the Somers teacher who was killed in October after her Subaru collided head-on with a pickup that veered into her lane, feared reliving the details of her accident if the case against Jason Deshazer went to trial.

Authorities believed that alcohol was a factor in the accident, which occurred on the morning of Oct. 26, and charged Deshazer with negligent homicide in the case after his blood tested positive for alcohol, marijuana and cocaine. On Dec. 7, nearly a month and a half after Bowker’s death, Deshazer entered a plea of not guilty.

The case was set for a jury trial on March 12. However, the fact that Deshazer changed his plea to guilty last week means the case can move forward to his court sentencing, much to the relief of those who were close to Bowker.

Last Thursday, Deshazer admitted in court that he had used alcohol, marijuana and cocaine while partying on the night before the accident. Flathead County Attorney Ed Corrigan confirmed that each of the substances were found in his blood during testing.

In addition to being under the influence, Deshazer said that he got little sleep before his drive on the following morning, when he struck Bowker’s Subaru on Montana Hwy 82.

Bowker was killed instantly, due to severe head injuries. Deshazer was taken by ALERT to Kalispell Regional Medical Center for treatment of multiple injuries that he had sustained, including lacerations to his face and other head injuries.

According to Deshazer, he must have blacked out before drifting into Bowker’s lane. He said that he could not remember the accident.

Bowker was 27 years old at the time of her death and working for her second year as a sixth-grade math teacher at Somers Middle School, where she also taught P.E. Deshazer was 22 at the time of the accident.

Bowker’s mother said that she was relieved to hear of the plea change and that it came as an answer to prayer. She said that she has forgiven Deshazer but that she still deals with the pain of losing her daughter. She and her family pray that this will be a turning point in his life. They are encouraged, she said, to learn that other Christians are reaching out to him.

Sixth grade teacher Amy Holtz, worked closely with Bowker and enjoyed a close friendship with her, said that her class was somber, when she informed them of Deshazer had pled guilty to the charges against him.

“Look how hard it is for us to process as adults,” Holtz commented. “These kids are 11 and 12 years old. It’s been a real challenge for them. They were pretty quiet and solemn about it, when I read them the article that was in the Daily Interlake. They probably realize that it’s just a lose-lose situation. We lost Dawn and, at the same time, this kid has thrown his life away. It’s just heartbreaking, all the way around.”