Montana man faces negligent homicide charge in fatal crash

HAMILTON (AP) — A western Montana man faces a negligent homicide charge for a rollover crash south of Florence last month that killed his partner and injured their three daughters, Ravalli County officials said.

The girls — ages 7, 8 and 10 — said the Sept. 7 crash happened when their father, Jarrid Canfield, took his hands off the steering wheel to hit their mother, court records said.

The girls said their father hit their mother three times. Jordan Teeple, 30, was partially ejected from the vehicle and partially pinned under it, court records said.

Canfield, 37, of Stevensville, is also charged with three counts of felony criminal endangerment and a misdemeanor count of partner or family member assault. One girl suffered several broken bones in her back and a broken wrist while the other girls were treated for cuts and bruises, the Ravalli Republic reported.

Canfield appeared before Ravalli County Justice of the Peace Jim Bailey on Thursday, where his bail was set at $35,000. Canfield did not enter a plea and requested a public defender who has not been assigned, court officials said. His arraignment in District Court has not been scheduled.

Canfield remained jailed on Friday.