Lake Country District Court news for Jan. 11, 2017
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Judge Deborah Kim Christopher sentenced the following people Thursday, Jan. 4:
Nathaniel James Rogers, 22, had his sentence for an amended charge of felony criminal endangerment deferred for two years. He is to serve on house arrest for 30 days, and do so within 90 days of sentencing.
On Sept. 29, Rogers changed his plea and entered a no contest Alford plea to an amended criminal endangerment, a felony.
“I hate these Alford pleas where somebody said they didn’t do it, and now they have a criminal record,” Judge Deborah Kim Christopher said.
Britt Cotter, Roger’s defense attorney, explained that the original charge was very serious, and there’s inherent risk that Rogers would be found guilty at trial. But because the plea agreement calls for a deferred sentence, it is in Rogers’ best interest to take the deal and potentially have his record cleared as soon as one year.
“I understand what your counsel says, but it worries me that you are too afraid not to take the deal,” Christopher said. “If you come back on a revocation, you are tossed into the system.”
Rogers must also be involved in a treatment program, pay restitution, and have no contact with the alleged victim or her family.
Keewyann Patricia Gardipe, 40, Ronan, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, all suspended, for an amended count of felony criminal endangerment. Gardipe was credited for five days already served, and is already in an outpatient treatment program and working with the elderly, according to her defense counsel.
According to a court document, on May 25, 2015, Gardipe was found passed out in her vehicle in Ravalli. Her car was in gear, it was running, and it was locked. Law enforcement and ambulance attendants finally roused her by pounding on the car door and windows. A blood draw showed her blood alcohol concentration was .174. She had three prior DUI convictions.
Colby Ford Wolfenden, for his fourth felony DUI, was sentenced to the DOC for 13 months to be screened for appropriate treatment. After that, he is sentenced to DOC for five years, all suspended. A second charge was dismissed per his plea agreement.
On April 15, 2016, Wolfenden had an amended criminal endangement charge deferred for three years on a 2015 incident where he crashed on Highway 93 and blew an initial BAC of .161.
At that time, he had three prior DUI convictions.
According to court documents, five days before he was sentenced on that charge, a couple observed Wolfenden’s vehicle drive off the side of the road on Sunny Slope along Highway 93, overcorrect, and enter the oncoming lane, causing two vehicles to swerve onto the shoulder to avoid head-on collisions. The couple was able to video Wolfenden’s driving with a cell phone. Law enforcement later located Wolfenden at his home in Dayton, passed out behind the wheel with the key in the ignition and an open beer between his legs.
“That was an incredibly stupid call to go out drinking days before your sentencing,” Christopher told Wolfenden. “Now we are on case number two. … If you don’t get a handle on the alcohol that is going to be a significant problem for you.”
