Repeat DUI offender fails to show in court

After he failed to appear at his sentencing July 3, a Kalispell man faces a bench warrant for his fourth DUI conviction and a fifth drunk-driving charge.

In addition to not showing up for the hearing, which had already been continued twice, Kristopher Chandler, 36, also failed his court-ordered breath alcohol testing through the 24/7 Sobriety Program.

Chandler was stopped by a Montana Highway Patrol trooper on May 1, 2012, after being reported driving erratically. When stopped, Chandler and his passenger switched seats, although the passenger admitted the change. Chandler then failed field sobriety tests.

He previously pleaded guilty to the charge arising from that case.

Chandler’s other active DUI case stems from a incident on Aug. 11, 2011, in which he allegedly was driving his van while drunk and hit and killed a dog.

He reportedly refused to take any kind of field sobriety or breath alcohol tests and was argumentative and disorderly during his contact with police, “and had to be told on several occasions to quite using profanity,” according to a court document.

The Flathead County Attorney’s Office on July 3 requested a new charge of bail jumping be filed against Chandler for failing to appear for the hearing scheduled for that day, but a judge had not yet approved the charge as of Thursday.

Chandler is facing up to five years in prison and a fine of between $1,000 and $10,000 in each of the drunk driving cases and up to 10 years in prison for the bail jumping charge.

District Judge Heidi Ulbricht set the amount of the bench warrant at $40,000.