Alleged drunk driver causes big wreck on Nucleus

For the third time in less than six months, an alleged drunk driver has barreled through Columbia Falls and caused an accident and property damage, though no serious injuries.

The latest incident was Aug. 30 just before 3 p.m. According to Columbia Falls Police reports, eyewitnesses and law logs, a pickup truck driven by Mark Parker, 60, of Kalispell, drove through the corner at Glacier Bank on Nucleus Avenue, struck a Camaro, then a light pole and then barreled through a display of brand new lawnmowers, dragging them down the street before coming to a stop.

Parker was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, second offense, reckless driving, failure to carry proof of insurance, operating with alcohol concentration of .08% BAC or greater, second offense.

No one was seriously injured in the crash.

In May, Jason Decker, 43, of Columbia Falls drove a Ford F-150 pickup through two fences at the Centurylink facility in Columbia Falls, hit the side of the building, struck a parked rig and a bicycle before finally stopping on the edge of 6th Street West.

Then in June, Debbie Rae Paszek, 55, of Columbia Falls and Kila, allegedly drove her Ford Escape at a high rate of speed down Diane Road and crashed through the fence at Horine Park. One neighbor said that kids were playing on the playground at the time of the incident and she narrowly missed hitting them.

She then backed up, drove through the west end neighborhood and went down South Hilltop Road where she crashed her car at the Sapa corner where she was apprehended.

Paszek, who has numerous previous DUI convictions has her case pending in Flathead County District Court. Decker’s case was recently settled in Columbia Falls city court.

In both of those cases, there were no serious injuries.