Father accused of driving drunk with children to meet with probation officer

A Kalispell man who allegedly checked in with his probation officer while drunk earlier this month is accused of driving there with his two children in the vehicle. 

Prosecutors brought Jacob King, 31, up on a felony criminal child endangerment charge after he allegedly provided a breath alcohol content of .238 at the Adult Probation Office in Kalispell on March 8. King is already facing drug and drug paraphernalia charges in a separate case dating back to January and prosecutors have filed petitions to revoke a pair of 2019 sentences for felony theft.

King smelled of alcohol when he arrived at the Adult Probation Office that morning, according to court documents, and initially told his probation officer that he had walked to the building. He later allegedly recanted, admitting that he drove there with his two children in the vehicle. 

When officers went to check in on the kids, they found them alone inside a parked and idling pickup truck, court documents said. 

King allegedly said he planned on dropping the children off at school after checking in with probation. He then hoped to try and find a job, court documents said.

King admitted to drinking between 10 and 15 spiked teas, stopping at about 4:30 a.m., according to court documents. 

King is expected to appear before Judge Amy Eddy on March 21 for his arraignment on the criminal child endangerment charge. It is punishable by up to 10 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine. 

He has already pleaded not guilty to felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs and misdemeanor criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. In that case, which Judge Heidi Ulbricht is presiding over, King is accused of smoking fentanyl pills in his garage on Jan. 21. 

A relative caught him and removed his children from the home after alerting Kalispell Police to the alleged drug use, according to court documents. Officers recovered five small blue pills stamped with an “M” on one side and a “30” on the other, court documents said. 

Court documents did not specify whether the pills were oxycodone M30 tablets or counterfeits.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.