Kalispell man charged with negligent vehicular assault

A Kalispell man was booked into jail Tuesday after being charged with negligent vehicular assault after an April wreck that left a passenger with severe injuries.

Tyler Paul Goodwin, 21, is in the Flathead County Detention Center on $10,500 bail. His initial court appearance was held Thursday.

According to the charging documents, a trooper with Montana Highway Patrol responded to a rollover crash involving a red Chevy van on April 2 in Hungry Horse. The van failed to negotiate a right turn on Colorado Boulevard and rolled into a tree.

A passenger in the van, who was 16 years old at the time of the wreck, was ejected from the van and suffered a brain bleed as well as facial and jaw fractures.

Goodwin was identified as the driver. The trooper spoke with witnesses who said Goodwin may be under the influence.

The trooper interviewed Goodwin at North Valley Hospital, where he was being treated for minor injuries. Goodwin allegedly said he “(profanity) up.”

After testing at the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula, Goodwin’s blood sample indicated his blood alcohol level was 0.89 and the THC level was 4.2. In Montana, it is a crime to drive with a BAC level above 0.80 or a THC level of 5.

Goodwin faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted of the offense.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.