GREAT FALLS — Parker William McConnell is facing several charges after he allegedly crashed a car in Great Falls while driving drunk.
It happened on Saturday just after midnight along 5th Street NW and 17th Avenue NW, near CMR High School. Police officers responded to a nearby residence for a report of a disturbance; when they arrived, they saw people running from and into the house. One officer noticed a car leave the scene at a high rate of speed; the driver of the car failed to stop at an intersection, and crashed into a sign pole and hit a house.
The car hit the house hard enough to cause damage, but we do not yet know the dollar amount of damage. Court documents note that one of the rooms that was damaged was the master bedroom, where the residents were sleeping at the time of the crash.
According to the charging documents, the driver of the car - later identified as McConnell - got out of the car and began to run, and failed to obey officers' commands to stop until after an officer used a Taser. As he was being driven to the county jail, he allegedly made an unsolicited statement that he was intoxicated. A subsequent blood-alcohol test revealed his level to be .144, nearly twice the legal limit for driving.
A Great Falls police officer fell down while chasing McConnell; the officer sustained minor injuries.
McConnell was booked into the Cascade County Detention Center and has been charged with:
- Two count of criminal endangerment (felony)
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (m)
- Obstructing a peace officer (m)
- Failure to give immediate notice of accident by quickest means possible with apparent damage over $1000 (m)
- Failure to notify owner accident resulting to damage to property/fixtures along the highway (m)
Bond for McConnell has been set at $50,000.
We will update you if we get more details.
