Woman pleads not guilty to striking child with vehicle
Patricia Ann Berliner, left, appears in Flathead County District Court Thursday with her attorney, Flathead County Public Defender Alisha Backus, for arraignment on a charge she struck and critically injured a 6-year-old child getting off a school bus in November 2019. Berliner pleaded not guilty. (Scott Shindledecker/Daily Inter Lake)
A Northwest Montana woman accused of striking a little girl with her vehicle while the girl was getting off a school bus last year pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon in Flathead County District Court.
Patricia Ann Berliner, of Eureka, entered her plea in front of District Judge Dan Wilson. Berliner, who is facing one count of child endangerment, is free on her own recognizance.
Berliner has an omnibus appearing June 3. She is not required to appear at the hearing. Her pretrial hearing is scheduled for July 15.
She was initially charged with the felony offense April 7, and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in the Montana State Prison.
Berliner, through her attorney Alisha Backus, requested her vehicle be returned to her. Montana Highway Patrol impounded the vehicle at the time of the incident, but Judge Wilson approved the request because the vehicle was no longer needed for evidence.
Six-year-old Jordana Hubble, a student at Olney-Bissell School, was hit by a car Nov. 12, 2019, allegedly driven by Berliner after she got off a bus on U.S. 93 north of Whitefish. Hubble was trying to cross the highway when she was struck by the vehicle that failed to stop, even though bus lights and stop signs were fully activated.
According to witnesses at the scene, the woman was driving between 25 and 40 miles per hour when she hit the girl.
According to witness statements in a charging document, Berliner allegedly said she didn’t think she had to stop because the bus was in the other lane.
Court documents indicate Hubble was thrown 60 feet after impact before landing in a ditch. Hubble suffered a traumatic brain injury, but she is conscious and performing rehabilitation exercises at Nexus Children’s Hospital in Houston.
Her mother, Veronica “Vo” Hubble posted a video April 21 on Facebook of Jordana taking a piece of food from her and eating. “Vo” wrote on the post “This is something she has been working very hard on for the past few weeks. She is just now starting to show good control. Go Jordana!!!!”
Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.