Whitefish man enters plea in fatal DUI case

A Whitefish man last week pleaded not guilty to felony charges related to an alleged DUI crash in California that killed his teenage passenger.

Joseph Edward Page, 65, is charged with felony child endangerment and misdemeanor DUI in Colusa County Superior Court of California. He entered the plea Oct. 11.

According to a California Highway Patrol report, the crash occurred on May 19, 2022 at about 7 p.m., near the town of Colusa in the Sacramento Valley. The report states that a juvenile passenger was ejected out of the right side, front window of a 2014 Chevrolet pickup.

The teen, who attended Glacier High School, was transported from the scene and later died.

The child endangerment charge includes a special allegation that Page “willfully caused” the child’s death. According to the court report, Page’s blood alcohol level was 0.20 percent. The legal limit in California is 0.08 percent.

The initial traffic citation also accused Page of carrying a loaded firearm and carrying a concealed weapon.

Page’s next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 14.