Driver sentenced to five years

After hugging a family member for the last time, a Kalispell man was taken into custody Thursday for causing a crash that killed an 84-year-old Whitefish man two years ago.

Flathead District Judge Stewart Stadler followed the prosecution’s recommendation and sentenced Daniel Lee Miller, 63, to 15 years in the Montana State Prison with 10 suspended.

“Putting you in prison doesn’t bring back Mr. Kerestes, but it does make his passing somewhat easier,” Stadler said, explaining that when Miller gets out of prison, he still will be almost a decade younger than Albert Andrew Kerestes was at the time of his death.

Stadler said he followed the statute and considered the nature of the offense and the degree of harm caused when determining what he called a “lenient” sentence.

At the time of the November 2008 crash, Miller was having a medical problem with one of his eyes, which had swollen shut.

Miller said he remembered heading westbound on West Reserve Drive and spilling the Coke he was holding between his legs as he wiped his eye when the Ford pickup he was driving ran a red light at Whitefish Stage Road and struck broadside a four-door Buick sedan driven by Kerestes.

While neither excessive speed nor alcohol were factors in the crash, blood tests revealed that Miller had THC (the active ingredient in marijuana), methadone, Clonazepam (a central nervous system depressant) and an antihistamine known to cause drowsiness in his system.

Kerestes — who retired in 1982 as machine-shop supervisor at Anaconda Aluminum Co. in Columbia Falls — was taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center and pronounced dead.

His wife, Cora, who was a passenger in the car, and Miller were taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center after the crash with non-life-threatening injuries.

As part of a plea agreement, Miller pleaded guilty to negligent homicide on March 5.

During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, members of Kerestes’ family and his neighbors took the stand saying he will be sorely missed.

“I would never ask that you be put through what you put our family through,” Kerestes’ son, Glen Kerestes, told Miller.

According to Cora Kerestes, “I’m just very sorry for all three of us that it happened.”

Miller echoed the sentiment.

“I feel so very sorry for what happened ... I’ll never get over it,” Miller said, turning to address the family.

“We won’t either,” they responded.

Outside the courtroom, Miller’s son, Randy Miller, offered condolences to the Kerestes family members and friends who showed up for the sentencing.

Reporter Melissa Weaver may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at mweaver@dailyinterlake.com