Vehicular Homicide While Under the Influence in Stevensville | Montana Legal News
A fatal incident in Stevensville resulted in vehicular homicide while under the influence charges. Learn about the legal consequences of impaired driving.
Dawn Burt, 32, of Hamilton, was charged with felony vehicular homicide while under the influence after a crash killed a 22-year-old woman on March 14, in Stevensville, police said. The incident happened at the intersection of Christianson Lane and Upper Burnt Fork School Road, according to court documents, and the victim has not yet been identified. Burt drove the ATV eastbound on Christianson Lane at a high speed and crashed head-on into a vertical steel fence post at the T-intersection of Christianson and Upper Burnt Fork School Road. The ATV was thrown 12 feet north along the fence. Burt and the 22-year-old victim were thrown from the ATV more than 45 feet east into a pasture on the other side of the steel post fence. The victim was transported to St. Patrick Hospital by LifeFlight. The victim died on March 15 at 2:42 a.m. as a result of a traumatic brain injury she suffered in the crash, according to court documents. Investigators said speed and impairment played a role in the crash. The ATV belonged to Burt's boyfriend. Burt had been celebrating her birthday at her boyfriend's house before the crash, which remains under investigation.
The Ravalli County Sheriff's Office led the initial response, and the incident is being prosecuted by the Ravalli County Attorney's Office. According to court filings, investigators determined the vehicle was operated at a high rate of speed just before 9:45 p.m. LifeFlight emergency medical services transported the passenger to St. Patrick Hospital, where she remained in critical condition until her passing the following morning. Dawn Burt has been officially charged with felony vehicular homicide while under the influence, a charge that carries significant prison time under state law.
National Legal Analyst Candice Bond, Managing Partner at Bond Legal, noted that "What scares me about road safety is how alcohol-impaired deaths rose by a third in recent years. There's no excuse for it, as we've known for decades how impairment destroys a driver's ability to process hazards."
Under Montana Code Annotated § 45-5-106, a person commits the offense of vehicular homicide while under the influence if they cause the death of another human being while operating a vehicle in violation of DUI laws. Montana utilizes a system of 'comparative fault,' which allows for the allocation of negligence among parties involved. Surviving family members may seek damages for funeral expenses, loss of future earnings, and loss of companionship through a wrongful death claim. Immediate preservation of evidence is critical to establishing liability.