McDonald pleads guilty in vehicle-ramming incident
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
A Polson man admitted to intentionally ramming his car into the vehicle of a new girlfriend of his ex-girlfriend as well as other property damage. Nathaniel Bryan McDonald, 23, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on May 20, to felony criminal mischief, misdemeanor criminal mischief, misdemeanor DUI, and felony intimidation.
According to court records, on May, 8, 2019, McDonald intentionally drove his vehicle into the vehicle of his ex girlfriend’s new interest in Pablo. The brother of the vehicle’s owner reported to Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Hines that he knew McDonald from school and witnessed him drive up and down the street before slamming his pickup with a rack on it, into his sister’s car. Damage to the car was estimated at $4,025.72.
The Lake County Sheriff’s office took a report that on Dec. 25, 2019 the same pickup with a rack caused damage to the landscaping and flower boxes of McDonald’s ex-girlfriends mother’s house on Old Highway 93 in Lake County. A Montana Highway Patrol Trooper made a traffic stop on McDonald’s pickup a short time later after observing the vehicle fail to turn while the turn signal was on before running a stop sign. McDonald was the driver and had two passengers, including a four-year-old child. He smelled of alcohol and refused a preliminary breath test. After being placed under arrest, McDonald made multiple, profanity-laced threats against the arresting Trooper’s life.
McDonald’s guilty plea came as part of a plea agreement that recommends sentencing being deferred for a total of five years and 48 hours jail time.
District Judge James Manley, who is not bound by the agreement, set sentencing for July 7.
