HELENA — An East Helena woman was killed inside a home Saturday night after a vehicle being pursued by the Montana Highway Patrol crashed into the building.
According to the MHP report, a trooper initiated a suspected DUI traffic stop shortly after 11:00 p.m. on an Audi A7. The trooper reported a passenger exited the vehicle and the driver fled southbound on Lake Helena Drive. At the T-intersection of Lake Helena Drive and Old Highway 12, the vehicle continued straight and crashed through the fence and into an adjacent home.
A 69-year-old woman was killed inside the home, and a 76-year-old man was injured.
Troopers took a 52-year-old male, whom they report was the driver, into custody and transported him to St. Peter’s Health to treat his injuries.
“The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office are assisting in the investigation. Pending the results of the investigation, the case will be turned over to the county attorney's office for charges. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim's family after this tragic loss,” a statement from MHP read.
The identity of the victim and the driver have not been released at this time.
MHP provided the following background on their pursuit policy: The safety of Montanans and the traveling public is always the top priority for troopers when engaging in a pursuit. When an offender decides to elude a traffic stop, before engaging in a pursuit, the trooper and their supervisor weigh every known circumstance and continually evaluate any changing circumstances, such as location, traffic, and road conditions.
