Man arrested for fatal July car crash

LIBBY — A Lincoln County man allegedly responsible for the death of a Libby woman in a July crash has been arrested and is being held on bond of $150,000.

Patrick Wood, 26, was arrested on Thursday on one count of vehicular homicide while under the influence, or the alternative, negligent homicide, both felonies.

On July 12, 2016, at 8 p.m., Highway Patrol trooper Bryce Ford received a report of a one-vehicle crash on Montana Highway 37 in Lincoln County.

Multiple law enforcement officers and emergency responders responded to the scene.

Upon arrival, Ford observed two individuals, Wood and Adam Tacheria, performing CPR on Christina Benefield, who was lying on the ground. Ford also observed that the guardrail along the southbound lane was heavily damaged.

Ford also observed a severely damaged vehicle sitting off the roadway on the other side of the guardrail.

Ford assisted with performing CPR until the ambulance arrived. Ford said he observed that Benefield had suffered severe head trauma and there was blood emanating from her ears. Benefield died as a result of her injuries in the crash.

Before Wood was transported to the hospital, he allegedly confirmed that he was the driver of the car involved in the crash. Wood stated that he recalled placing his hand on the passenger’s leg, and when he looked up, there was the guardrail.

Inside the vehicle, Ford observed an alcohol container, including an open whiskey bottle on the passenger side and a beer bottle on the driver’s seat.

A blood sample obtained by law enforcement showed that Wood had ethanol, THC and methamphetamine in his system.

Data retrieved from the airbag control module indicated that just prior to the crash, the car was coasting down a slight hill at 75 miles per hour and the driver was not applying pressure directly on the accelerator. The data also showed no braking prior to the airbag deployment.

If convicted, Wood could face a maximum of 30 years in prison and $50,000 in fines.LIBBY