MISSOULA – An Arlee woman accused of striking and killing a 69-year-old man with her car has been charged with a misdemeanor.
On Wednesday, Sunny Marlene Tucker was issued a summons to appear in Missoula County Justice Court, where she faces a single count of failing to give notice of an accident by the quickest means possible.
The Montana Highway Patrol says Tucker hit Peter Liberti of Evaro the evening of Dec. 28 as he walked across U.S. Highway 93 northwest of Missoula. The woman told authorities she continued driving because she thought she hit a deer.
It wasn’t until Tucker’s mother called to tell her there were emergency vehicles at the scene of the crash that Tucker realized what happened.
Police say Liberti was apparently trying to find someone to help him after he ran out of gas. He was wearing dark clothing and was required to wear corrective lenses and drive during daylight hours only.