Woman faces loss of suspended sentence

Less than a month after Diane Pickavance was convicted for her involvement in serving the drunk driver responsible for a fatal crash, a warrant has been issued for her arrest for violating a condition of her sentence.

A Flathead County Sheriff’s deputy observed Pickavance drinking alcohol at an area bar on June 21 and approached her to check her blood-alcohol level.

After a breathalyzer test showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.174, the County Attorney’s Office filed a petition to revoke Pickavance’s suspended sentence, according to Vickie Eggum, office administrator for the County Attorney’s Office.

Eggum said Tuesday morning she did not know if Pickavance had been arrested yet.

Pickavance, manager of Pick’s Bowling Center in Bigfork, earlier this month pleaded no contest to allowing bartender Nathan Hale to sell alcohol after hours at the bowling center to fellow employee Travis Vandersloot and others on March 23, 2009.

Vandersloot later crashed his vehicle into Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Michael Haynes’ patrol car on U.S. 93, killing them both.

Court records show Pickavance was drinking with Hale and Vandersloot until after 2 a.m.

Hale was convicted last week for over-serving alcohol to  Vandersloot.

On June 4, Justice of the Peace David Ortley ordered Pickavance to 100 hours of community service in addition to sentencing her to six months in the Flathead County Jail with all but 10 days suspended. She also was fined $500 and was prohibited from consuming or possessing alcohol during that time.

Three years ago, Pickavance, who went by Diane Hayes at that time, pleaded guilty and was fined for serving alcohol at North Shore Bowling Center in Bigfork while the business was closed, and allowing people to consume alcohol after 2 a.m.