A district judge in Libby rules against Montana's 24/7 sobriety program for drunken driving suspects, calling it unconstitutional. The state has already appealed the ruling to the Montana Supreme Court.
In his February 5 ruling, District Judge James Wheelis says the program's sobriety testing fees are an unconstitutional punishment for defendants before they are tried.
The legislature passed the law in 2011 to crack down on drunk driving. Under the law, anyone arrested for drunken driving two or more times can be ordered to take part in the program. It requires the driver to take, and pay for, frequent breath tests before their trial.
Wheelis threw out the law based on a challenge by Robert Spady, who was arrested for drunken driving and careless driving in Lincoln County. Spady took part in the 24/7 program for 113 days and paid $452 in fees. The order shows he was arrested each time and charged with contempt of court.
We will have more information, and reaction from Governor Bullock, on the ABC MONTANA NEWS at 5:30, and the FOX MONTANA NEWS AT 9.
Thursday, July 24 2014 11:41 PM EDT2014-07-25 03:41:57 GMT
Police in suburban Philadelphia are investigating a shooting at a hospital campus and say they have reports people have been injured and a suspect is in custody.
A doctor told police that a patient fatally shot a caseworker at their hospital complex before the doctor pulled out his own gun and exchanged fire with him and wounded him, a prosecutor said Thursday night.
Thursday, July 24 2014 11:25 PM EDT2014-07-25 03:25:49 GMT
A condemned murderer took nearly two hours to die and gasped for about 90 minutes during an execution in Arizona that quickly rekindled the national debate on capital punishment in the U.S.
The nearly two-hour execution of a convicted murderer prompted a series of phone calls involving the governor's office, the prison director, lawyers and judges as the inmate gasped for more than 90 minutes.
Thursday, July 24 2014 11:05 PM EDT2014-07-25 03:05:13 GMT
A law enforcement official and online marketplace StubHub say cyber thieves got into more than 1,000 customers' accounts and fraudulently bought tickets for events.
Some of the hottest tickets in town - to Broadway hits, Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake concerts, a New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox game - were snapped up by an international ring of cyber thieves who commandeered more than...
Thursday, July 24 2014 10:04 PM EDT2014-07-25 02:04:46 GMT
An 80-year-old man says he shot and killed a fleeing woman whom he had caught burglarizing his home, despite her plea that she was pregnant.
Police said Thursday they're deciding whether to arrest an 80-year-old man who shot a fleeing, unarmed burglar despite her telling him she was pregnant, but they have arrested the woman's accomplice on suspicion of...
Thursday, July 24 2014 9:25 PM EDT2014-07-25 01:25:19 GMT
Sen. John Walsh said his unattributed use of others' work in his master's thesis was not plagiarism but "a few citations that were unintentionally left out of a term paper" that he blamed in part on...
Sen. John Walsh remained steadfast Thursday amid an investigation into whether he plagiarized a research project required for a master's degree, winning fresh backing from fellow Democrats in Montana and the governor...
Thursday, July 24 2014 3:46 PM EDT2014-07-24 19:46:53 GMT
RIVERSIDE, Wash. - Many families were still at the Red Cross Shelter set up at Riverside High School in Riverside this morning.An afternoon storm destroyed or damaged 44 of their homes and knocked down close to 100 trees in Riverside Village Mobile Home Park.Many residents said the storm looked like a tornado as it swept through their neighborhood.
RIVERSIDE, Wash. - Many families were still at the Red Cross Shelter set up at Riverside High School in Riverside this morning.An afternoon storm destroyed or damaged 44 of their homes and knocked down close to 100 trees in Riverside Village Mobile Home Park.Many residents said the storm looked like a tornado as it swept through their neighborhood.
Thursday, July 24 2014 3:45 PM EDT2014-07-24 19:45:02 GMT
UPDATE: Officials say the massive wildfire that has destroyed about 150 homes in north-central Washington is now more than half contained.The rain and hail that fell on Wednesday, wasn't enough to extinguish the nearly 400-square-mile Carlton Complex of fires, but it gave crews a chance to dig lines along the south and east parts. The fire is 52% contained.
UPDATE: Officials say the massive wildfire that has destroyed about 150 homes in north-central Washington is now more than half contained.The rain and hail that fell on Wednesday, wasn't enough to extinguish the nearly 400-square-mile Carlton Complex of fires, but it gave crews a chance to dig lines along the south and east parts. The fire is 52% contained.
Thursday, July 24 2014 8:56 PM EDT2014-07-25 00:56:19 GMT
SPOKANE, Wash. - A storm seemed to leave just as fast as it arrived Wednesday in Spokane. High winds blew over trees and utility lines, causing widespread power outages and some severe property damage. INSIDE>>>| Power Outages | PHOTOS |
SPOKANE, Wash. - A storm seemed to leave just as fast as it arrived Wednesday in Spokane. High winds blew over trees and utility lines, causing widespread power outages and some severe property damage. INSIDE>>>| Power Outages | PHOTOS |
Wednesday, July 23 2014 7:16 PM EDT2014-07-23 23:16:03 GMT
CHELAN COUNTY, Wash. - A helicopter crashed in Wenatchee on Wednesday.Allen Kenitzer of the Federal Aviation Administration in Renton says the crash occurred on Wednesday in Wenatchee for unknown reasons.
CHELAN COUNTY, Wash. - A helicopter crashed in Wenatchee on Wednesday.Allen Kenitzer of the Federal Aviation Administration in Renton says the crash occurred on Wednesday in Wenatchee for unknown reasons. He says the helicopter was a Bell 206A Jet Ranger.
Tuesday, July 22 2014 1:04 PM EDT2014-07-22 17:04:28 GMT
The search for a missing kayaker will continue Monday on Flathead Lake, it's surrounding shores and the Flathead River, after he's been missing for more than 24 hours.
The search for a missing kayaker will continue Monday on Flathead Lake, it's surrounding shores and the Flathead River, after he's been missing for more than 24 hours.
Tuesday, July 22 2014 9:51 AM EDT2014-07-22 13:51:52 GMT
KHQ.COM - Chelan HD Productions has given us permission to show this incredible video they shot with a drone surveying the damage done from the Carlton Complex Fire in the areas of Brewster and Pateros. This video is truly jaw dropping and really shows the level of destruction from the fire.
KHQ.COM - Chelan HD Productions has given us permission to show this incredible video they shot with a drone surveying the damage done from the Carlton Complex Fire in the areas of Brewster and Pateros. This video is truly jaw dropping and really shows the level of destruction from the fire.
