Lake County District Court news for June 20, 2012
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Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases Wednesday, June 13:
Ronald Quaring, 47, Polson, in a change of plea, admitted to the amended offense of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a misdemeanor. He was found guilty and sentenced to six months in the Lake County Jail, all suspended but 10 days.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 30 incident where a tribal officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle that ran a red light in Pablo and nearly hit the officer’s vehicle. Quaring, the driver, admitted to drinking “a little bit.” His speech was slurred and slow; his eyes red and glossy. After failing field sobriety tests, Quaring refused to provide a breath sample and would not allow the officer to search his pockets for weapons. He pulled a small marijuana pipe out of his pocket and threw it into the road. Quaring’s driving record showed he has at least three prior DUI convictions.
Joshua Couture, 22, Ronan, had his 2010 deferred sentence for assault on a peace officer, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 10 years, five suspended.
According to court documents, Couture violated his probation by changing his residence without notifying his probation officer, failing to report to his probation officer as ordered, using marijuana and possessing drug paraphernalia, failing to pay court-ordered fines and fees and failing to participate in mental health and chemical dependency treatment as ordered by the court. Couture was also arrested on November 2011 and charged with obstructing a police officer; he was also allegedly in the company of an individual with outstanding warrants.
Joseph Antiste, 50, Polson, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 13 months, all suspended but 30 days, for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a felony. He was also sentenced to two years, all suspended, in the Department of Corrections to run consecutive to the 13 months.
According to court documents, charges stem from a July 2011 incident where Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call from a woman who said her husband was trying to throw her from a vehicle. The Ford Explorer was located on U.S. Highway 93 near Big Arm, and Antiste emerged from the driver’s seat when pulled over. The officer noted the smell of alcohol on Antiste’s breath and that he was swaying. When Antiste admitted he had been drinking, he was taken to the Lake County Detention Center where a breath sample registered .183 percent.
David Martinez, 43, Pablo, pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent, a felony, and partner family member assault, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, Aug. 8, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, Oct. 12. Both begin at 9 a.m. Martinez remains at liberty.
According to court documents, charges stem from a May 22 incident where Martinez allegedly hit his partner’s head on a door frame and sexually assaulted her, ripping her hair and knocking a tooth loose in the process. Martinez has at least two prior PFMA or similar convictions in Montana and another state.
Billie Jo Healy, 40, Ronan, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for four years, all suspended, for the amended offense of criminal endangerment, a felony. Healy must serve 30 days in the Lake County Jail and 30 days in an inpatient treatment program within nine months of sentencing.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Jan. 10 incident where a tribal officer responded to the report of a suspicious vehicle parked for a long time on the side of the road with its lights on. The officer found Healy slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious. She did not wake up when the officer opened the door. When he woke her up, a breath sample showed Healy’s blood alcohol concentration to be .170. She also failed several field sobriety tests, and her driving record showed she had at least three prior DUI convictions.
Judge Deborah Kim Christoper dealt with the following cases Thursday, June 14:
James Couture, 25, Ronan, had his 2009 deferred sentence for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, two suspended.
According to court documents, Couture violated his probation by changing his residence without notifying his probation officer, failing to report to his probation officer as ordered and failing to participate in chemical dependency counseling as ordered.
James Dempsey, 40, Polson, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for three years, all suspended but 30 days, for the amended offense of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Jan. 31 incident where an officer made a traffic stop because the driver, Dempsey, failed to use a turn signal. Dempsey had active warrants in tribal court and appeared intoxicated. He refused to perform sobriety tests, and after being taken to the Lake County Jail, an investigator obtained a warrant for a blood test, which was sent to the State Crime Lab. Dempsey admitted that he had been drinking alcohol and had also used methamphetamine earlier in the day. His driving record showed at least three prior DUI convictions and that his driver’s license is suspended.
In a separate case, Dempsey was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 13 months for the amended offense of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a felony. The sentence is to run consecutive to the sentence for criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 22 incident where a tribal officer stopped a vehicle for speeding in Arlee. Dempsey, the driver, smelled of alcohol and refused to perform any field sobriety tests. He was taken to the Lake County Jail, where a breath sample showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of .114 percent. Dempsey’s driving record showed he had at least three prior DUI convictions and his driver’s license was suspended.
