Whitefish woman pleads guilty to fifth DUI

A Whitefish woman pleaded guilty to her fifth offense of drunk driving three weeks after being arraigned.

Lauri Moon, 54, entered the plea Sept. 26 in Flathead District Court as part of an agreement with the Flathead County Attorney’s Office.

Moon was approached by Kalispell police after an off-duty officer witnessed her swerving in and out of her lane several times and having difficulty maintaining her balance when she got out of her vehicle at a gas station.

The off-duty officer said he could smell the alcohol on Moon from 10 feet away and she later failed several field sobriety tests.

It was reported during her change of plea hearing Thursday that Moon’s blood work came back at 0.18 percent blood-alcohol level.

Moon’s prior convictions for drunk driving came in May 2007, March 2012, June 2012, and April 2013. Two of those were in Montana and two in Illinois.

In exchange for pleading guilty, several misdemeanor charges filed against Moon in Flathead County Justice Court will be dismissed.

A felony drunk driving conviction is punishable by 13 months in a residential alcohol treatment program run by the Montana Department of Corrections, a consecutive, suspended sentence of five years either to the corrections department or the Montana State Prison, or between 13 months and five years of incarceration with the corrections department if the defendant has already been placed in treatment due to a prior conviction.

It also carries a fine of between $1,000 and $10,000.

Moon’s sentencing is set for Dec. 5.