Hamilton man charged with felony DUI following wreck

Apr. 8—A Hamilton man was charged with felony DUI following a late night one-vehicle crash northwest of Hamilton.

Jorden Ray Fawcett, 24, appeared in Ravalli County Justice Court this week on the felony charge and several misdemeanor counts.

A Montana Highway Patrol trooper was dispatched to a one-vehicle crash near the intersection of Mill Creek and Bowman roads about 10 p.m. on April 5, according to charging documents. The reporting party said the vehicle launched off the road and crashed into some rocks and a fence.

He found Fawcett "dazed and confused and (he) was incoherent and difficult to understand," the charging affidavit said. The trooper could smell alcoholic beverage, but Fawcett denied drinking anything.

Fawcett was unable to successfully complete the field sobriety test.

Fawcett refused to provide a breath or blood sample. He was transported to Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, where blood was drawn pursuant to a telephonic search warrant.

The trooper learned Fawcett's driver's license was revoked and that he was a habitual traffic offender, the affidavit said. Fawcett also did not have insurance on the vehicle.

Fawcett has Montana DUI convictions for July 2020 and two in November 2020.

In addition to the felony charge, Fawcett faces misdemeanor counts of habitual traffic offender operating a motor vehicle, driving while license suspended or revoked, reckless driving, failure to give immediate notice of accident and expired registration.

Ravalli County Justice Jim Bailey set bail at $10,000.

___

(c)2021 Ravalli Republic, Hamilton, Mont.

Visit Ravalli Republic, Hamilton, Mont. at http://www.ravallinews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.