Bartender charged after crash that killed trooper

A bartender who served a drunken driver who was responsible for a head-on crash near Somers that killed a Montana Highway Patrol trooper has pleaded not guilty to several misdemeanors.

Flathead County prosecutors say 31-year-old Nathan Hale is charged with negligent endangerment, selling alcohol after hours and selling alcohol to an intoxicated customer.

He is accused of serving 29-year-old fellow employee Travis Vandersloot at the Bigfork bowling alley March 23 before Vandersloot crashed his vehicle into Trooper Michael Haynes’ patrol car on U.S. 93.

Vandersloot, of Columbia Falls, died at the scene. Haynes died a few days later from injuries he suffered in the crash.

Also charged is 40-year-old Diane Pickavance, who has not yet appeared on a charge of selling alcohol after hours. She has until Sunday to respond to charges against her.

Pickavance and her family opened Pick’s Bowling Center on Montana 82 a year ago.

Haynes was southbound on U.S. 93 north of Somers when Vandersloot, in a Volkswagen heading north in the southbound lanes, struck the trooper’s squad car head-on.

Vandersloot had consumed eight pints of beer and two shots in two hours, according to Attorney General Steve Bullock.

Haynes was the third trooper to die in the line of duty in Flathead County in 18 months. Two of the crashes involved drunk drivers.

The 28-year-old Haynes left behind a wife and two young children. Haynes was an aggressive enforcer of DUI laws for the Highway Patrol

His widow, Tawny, has continued his work in bringing attention to the problem of drunk driving and has pushed for tougher DUI laws and enforcement.