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Washington Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Not Guilty to DUI, Criminal Endangerment

Brandon Hoover allegedly struck a car at a Highway 35 crash scene and led police on a high-speed chase

By Justin Franz
Sheriff's vehicle. Beacon file photo

A 29-year-old sheriff’s deputy from Washington has pleaded not guilty to charges of felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor DUI in Flathead County.

Brandon Hoover, a sheriff’s deputy with the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office north of Spokane, appeared at an arraignment in Flathead County District Court on Dec. 14. He will stand trial next year and if convicted he could face up to 10 years in prison.

According to court records, Hoover was driving down Montana Highway 35 in Creston when he allegedly drove through the scene of a fatal crash and struck a vehicle. A Montana Highway Patrol trooper who was helping investigate the crash got into his vehicle and started to chase Hoover. The chase proceeded south on Egan Slough Road where Hoover and the trooper allegedly reached speeds upwards of 100 miles per hour.

Soon after, Hoover allegedly drove into a field and took out a fence before returning to the road. He continued to drive down Egan Slough before turning onto Sonstelie Road, where he stopped the vehicle and turned off the lights.

Hoover then exited the vehicle with his hands in the air. Hoover admitted that he was looking at his phone when he approached the crash scene and never saw the vehicle he allegedly hit. Hoover took a breathalyzer test and blew a .178, twice the legal limit, according to court records.

According to the Spokesman-Review, Hoover has been a sheriff’s deputy in Stevens County since 2013.