10 years suspended for vehicular assault

A 25-year-old Columbia Falls man was given a 10-year suspended sentence with the Montana Department of Corrections for his role as the driver in a 2011 crash that left two men seriously injured.

Kyle Lingle pleaded guilty by Alford plea to negligent vehicular assault on Jan. 17, meaning he didn’t admit his guilt but agreed that sufficient evidence existed to convict him. Lingle told the court he had no memory of the crash or several hours leading up to the crash.

According to court records, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper responding to a vehicle that crashed into a tree at Ninth Street and River Junction Road in Hungry Horse on Dec. 4, 2011, reported seeing several open containers for alcoholic beverages in the vehicle.

A passenger in the front seat had gone through the windshield and had several skull fractures. A passenger in the rear seat had chest injuries. Lingle was extricated from the vehicle using Jaws Of Life equipment and later was airlifted to Seattle for hip reconstruction and head injuries.

A blood sample revealed Lingle had THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and alcohol in his blood. The trooper’s investigation determined Lingle was driving too fast for the weather conditions and had lost control.

In sentencing Lingle on March 14, Flathead County District Court Judge David Ortley also ordered Lingle to pay a $1,000 fine.