After accident, Kalispell man charged with his sixth DUI
A Kalispell man with several DUI convictions dating back nearly a quarter century recently was arrested after he caused a traffic accident on West Reserve Drive.
Michael William Moens, 60, pleaded not guilty July 3 to one felony count of driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, sixth offense.
He was released after posting $25,000 bail. According to the terms of his release, Moens is not allowed to drink alcohol or enter bars, taverns or casinos. He must also submit to continuous alcohol monitoring.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Rick Mehring, he responded to a two-vehicle crash on West Reserve Drive and spoke with the victim, who was still seated in his Dodge pickup.
The man said he had just entered West Reserve from Cherry Lynn Road and as he was trying to get up to speed, a tan Subaru slammed into the back of his pickup.
The driver, who was later identified as Moens, had been taken to the hospital. According to Mehring, it appeared Moens wasn’t wearing a seat belt and had hit his head on the windshield.
The trooper later interviewed Moens at the hospital and he allegedly admitted to “rear-ending someone.” The trooper also noticed a strong smell of alcohol from Moens’ breath and his eyes appeared to be bloodshot and watery and his speech was slurred.
The trooper requested a blood draw, but Moens refused, according to the complaint. Mehring applied for a search warrant for Moens’ blood because he had five prior DUI convictions, from Sept. 12, 1994 to July 17, 2008.
According to Mehring, after the warrant was granted, Moens allegedly apologized for drinking and driving and to not treat his denial of a blood draw as a refusal.
Mehring took a blood sample and shipped it to the Montana State Crime Lab for testing.
Moens could be sentenced to a term of 13 months in a correctional facility or a residential treatment facility or five years in the Montana State Prison. He is also facing fines of not less than $1,000 and no more than $10,000.
Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.