man pleads not guilty to vehicular homicide

Man under influence of marijuana is alleged to have caused fatal wreck last fall

POLSON — A Missoula man is accused of being under the influence of marijuana when he allegedly caused a fatal accident just north of Polson last fall. Andrew

Patrick Mackey,

28, en - tered a plea of not guilty in Polson District Court on March 6 to vehicular homicide while under the influence. According to court records, on Oct. 22, 2022, Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Aidan Schaffer responded to a report of a head-on crash just north of Polson on U.S. Highway 93. At the scene, Trooper Schaffer observed a red Subaru on the shoulder of the northbound lane and a white Chevy Silverado in the middle of the northbound lane. The driver of the Subaru was deceased. A witness at the scene told Trooper Schaffer that they were following the Subaru when they saw the Chevy driving southbound in the northbound lane. Mackey was identified as the driver of the Chevy. He told the trooper that he didn’t remember what happened. He stated that he was returning to Missoula from a job site on Jette Hill. A blood draw revealed Mackey had 14 nanograms of THC, the intoxicating component of marijuana, in his system. That is more than double the legal limit at which point a driver is considered legally impaired in Montana.

Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher set the case for trial Aug. 21. Mackey remains at liberty.

Anaconda man pleads guilty to vehicle, firearm theft

POLSON — An Anaconda man admitted to stealing a car that had several firearms in it.

Randy Joel Heppler, 33, entered a plea of guilty in Polson District Court on March 6 to felony theft. He also pleaded guilty to an unrelated drug possession charge. According to court records, On Dec. 5, 2022, a man reported his 1992 Chevy missing from his residence in

Arlee. Several firearms were reported to have been in the Chevy when it disappeared. The Chevy was located the following day in Missoula, minus the firearms. The Chevy was reported as stolen again on Dec. 8, 2022. Law enforcement officers located the Chevy later that day traveling along U.S. Highway 93 and conducted a traffic stop. Heppler was identified as the driver.

In exchange for his guilty plea, a second theft charge is to be dismissed at sentencing. Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher set a sentencing date of April