Man sentenced for dragging woman for three blocks

A 22-year-old Kalispell man was given a three-year deferred sentence Thursday in Flathead District Court after pleading guilty to felony criminal endangerment.

Justin Saari had gone to pick up his 2-year-old son on Feb. 19, 2011, at the house of the child’s maternal grandmother.

The child’s mother became upset because Saari put the child in his car without a child safety seat, and she tried to take him back out of the vehicle.

Saari then tried to push her out and drove three blocks, reaching 25 miles per hour, dragging her along as she was half inside the car.

He also periodically slammed on the brakes to try to get her to fall out.

She was 26 weeks pregnant at the time of the incident.

Saari later admitted to police what he had done and guessed his speed at 20 miles per hour.