Man pleads not guilty in teen's death

The man who drove his pickup truck into an Evergreen home, killing a Columbia Falls High School student who was asleep inside, was arraigned on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to a charge stemming from the incident.

Jared Allen Parsons, 31, of Kalispell pleaded not guilty to one count of vehicular homicide while under the influence before Flathead County District Court Judge Dan Wilson, saying that he understood that a conviction could mean up to 30 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The charges stem from an April 26 incident in which an allegedly intoxicated Parsons drove into a home in Evergreen, killing Erin Howk, 15.

Parsons was driving a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup in the early morning hours west on Spring Creek Drive, when he veered off the south side of the street, struck a sign, some bushes and then the house. The truck went into the house as far as the driver’s side door, which, on that pickup, is about eight feet.

Parsons also tried to flee, but was run down by Howk’s family members and detained until police arrived.

Parsons was also charged with failure to remain at the scene of an accident and driving with a suspended license.

His bail was set at $500,000 by Justice of the Peace Eric Hummel last month.