A 15-year-old Evergreen girl was killed when the driver of a Dodge Ram crashed into a residence shortly after 2 a.m. Friday, fleeing the scene before authorities arrested him on charges of vehicular homicide while under the influence.
An official with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Erin Howk, who was listed by first responders as dead on arrival. Authorities identified the driver as 31-year-old Jared Allen Parsons of Kalispell, who is currently detained without bond at the Flathead County Detention Facility on charges of vehicular homicide while under the influence, failure to remain at the scene of an accident and driving while suspended.
Howk’s body has been transported to the medical examiner’s office in Missoula for an autopsy.
The case is under investigation by the Montana Highway Patrol.
According to a fatal narrative report by the responding trooper, the crash occurred at 2:10 a.m. Friday when a single vehicle heading west on Spring Creek Drive lost control, veered off of the south side of the road near the intersection with Spring Creek Trail, struck a sign and crashed through some bushes before colliding with the residence and killing Howk.
Alcohol and speed are suspected causes of the fatality, but drugs are not. Road conditions were dry, and it is not known whether Parsons was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash; however, he was not transported for medical assistance.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.