Man sentenced for endangering kids

A 30-year-old Lakeside man was given a six-year deferred sentence March 7 after pleading guilty to a charge of felony criminal endangerment.

Auldin Peek was found May 21, 2012, in his vehicle with his four children — a 7-year-old, a 6-year-old and 3-year-old twins — in the parking lot of Cattleman’s Bar, slumped over in the front seat with the vehicle still running after having injected himself with heroin.

The syringe was found in his pocket.

The 7-year-old child told police she couldn’t wake up her dad and that she screamed and was scared. It took police shaking Peek several times at the scene before he woke up, tried to sit up, lost his balance and fell out of the car.

Peek admitted at the time that along with the heroin, he also had marijuana, oxycodone and alcohol in his system, and submitted to a breath alcohol test that registered at nearly twice the legal limit.

He also was ordered by Flathead District Judge David Ortley to pay a $500 fine and a $400 public defender fee.

A second case in which Peek was charged with assault on a minor, alleging he slapped the 6-year-old in the face in 2011, leaving bruises, was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.