Bond quadrupled in wild driving case

The Daily Inter Lake

Flathead District Judge Ted Lympus on Monday quadrupled the bond for a man accused of four counts of felony endangerment.

Court documents allege that Timothy Vanswearingen, 21, was so intoxicated that he drove the wrong way down Buffalo Hill at 70 to 80 miles per hour, forcing drivers off the road in a school zone.

Bond was originally set at $100,000 when Vanswearingen was arrested. Justice of the Peace David Ortley reduced the amount to $25,000.

Vanswearingen's parents were reportedly able to post that bond amount for him. But Monday, Lympus increased the bond again to $100,000. He won't be released from jail, even if he makes bail, without another hearing before Lympus.

Vanswearing was stopped on Sept. 26 by Kalispell police about 8:30 a.m. on U.S. 93 near Russell School.

Among the people Vanswearingen is accused of endangering are a police officer he allegedly nearly hit head-on, a pregnant woman and her husband who were on their way to the hospital emergency room, and a woman who said she closed her eyes waiting for the impact with Vanswearingen's truck.

If convicted, he faces 40 years in prison.

He has pleaded not guilty to the crimes.