Whitefish man facing seventh DUI charge

A Whitefish man is facing a seventh charge of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Michael Gilbert Turpin, 53, was booked into Flathead County Detention Center last week for the DUI and felony bail-jumping charges that arose after he didn’t show up for court.

Prosecutors claim in court documents that Turpin was stopped by a Montana Highway Patrol trooper on May 30 after the trooper noticed Turpin’s vehicle was weaving in and out of traffic on U.S. 93 near McDermott Lane.

The trooper smelled alcohol and noted that Turpin’s speech was slurred and eyes were bloodshot. Turpin was allegedly unsteady on his feet as he performed some field sobriety tests, but then refused others. A breath sample obtained in the field was more than the legal limit. Turpin was taken to the hospital to obtain a blood sample, which was sent to the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula for analysis.

Turpin has five prior DUI convictions from 2001, 2000, 1990, 1988 and 1985. In Montana, the first three DUI charges a person has are classified as misdemeanors. Subsequent charges are felonies.

Another DUI charge was dismissed in Lake County District Court in 2010, as part of a plea agreement where Turpin agreed to plead guilty to felony driving without a license and criminal endangerment.

In that instance, Turpin was stopped for nearly hitting a guardrail in Pablo. Officers found beer cans in the floorboard and Turpin admitted he had been drinking, but refused to provide a breath sample.

He received a three-year deferred sentenced and a six-month jail sentence for the crime. All but two days of the jail sentence was suspended.

Turpin is set for arraignment Oct. 8.