MISSOULA – A 29-year-old Clinton man has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide while under the influence after a pickup struck four girls walking along the side of the highway, killing two of them.
David James Delsignore of Clinton was also charged Monday with two counts of negligent vehicular assault for the collision that happened at 11:45 p.m. Saturday on Highway 200 near East Missoula.
Court records say Delsignore was talking on a cell phone at the time of the crash and that his blood-alcohol level was 0.147 three hours after the crash.
Missoula County Sheriff Mike McMeekin says the collision killed 14-year-old Ashley Patenaude and 15-year-old Taylor Cearley and injured two others. All four were members of Hellgate’s freshman girls’ basketball team.
Court records say one of the injured girls suffered a concussion and remained hospitalized Monday. Hellgate school officials say the other girl was released from the hospital.