Columbia Falls woman gets 13 months for DUI No. 4

A 61-year-old Columbia Falls area woman was sentenced to 13 months with the Montana Department of Corrections after she pleaded guilty to her fourth DUI, a felony.

Flathead County District Court Judge Robert Allison also sentenced Karen Downs to a consecutive and suspended three year sentence. He recommended she be placed with the WATCh EAST Program in Glendive for treatment. WATCh stands for Warm Springs Addiction Treatment and Change.

According to court records, a Columbia Falls police officer stopped Downs’ vehicle the U.S. 2 strip on Jan. 18 after the vehicle made wide turns across several lanes and drifted across the center line. He also reported smelling alcohol and seeing Downs’ bloodshot eyes.

After allegedly failing a field sobriety test and admitting she had been drinking, Downs was taken to the local police station where she refused to provide a breath sample.

After obtaining a search warrant, Downs was transported to North Valley Hospital for a blood draw to determine her blood alcohol level. Her prior history includes convictions for DUI or DUI per se in June 1999, January 2003 and April 2003.