Man guilty in crash that injured six

A 19-year-old Kalispell man pleaded guilty to two felony charges of negligent vehicular assault April 5 in Flathead District Court.

Michael O’Dear-Hull and all five passengers in his vehicle were hospitalized on May 15, 2011, after he rolled his vehicle several times on Kila Road.

O’Dear-Hull, whose license was suspended at the time, was thrown from the vehicle — he was not wearing his seat belt. Three passengers also were ejected.

According to interviews and information downloaded from a computer module in O’Dear-Hull’s vehicle, he and several friends had been at a bonfire party on Browns Meadow Road, where they were drinking.

When O’Dear-Hull was driving around Kila Road he was traveling at speeds greater than 100 miles per hour.

At the time of the crash, the vehicle was traveling 87 miles per hour while he tried to negotiate a curve and rolled his car.

Of O’Dear-Hull’s passengers, four had serious injuries and one had significant internal injuries and was transported to a hospital in Washington for surgery.

He was 18 years old at the time of the accident.

In exchange for pleading guilty to the two charges, three additional felony charges of negligent vehicular assault plus misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a suspended or revoked license, unlawful possession of an intoxicating substance and a seat-belt violation were dismissed.

If the plea agreement is accepted by District Judge Stewart Stadler, O’Dear-Hull will be given two concurrent, suspended 10-year sentences for the convictions.

If he does not, O’Dear-Hull could face up to 20 years in jail and a fine of up to $20,000.