Man Nearly Crashes Into Home on a Popular Missoula Street

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On March 12, 2023, at 3:59 a.m., Missoula 911 Dispatch received an automatic phone call from a cell phone that had just detected a crash. Dispatch later confirmed that the phone belonged to 35-year-old Kristen Dahlquist. Verizon wireless provided the location of the detected crash, and it was in the 2400 block of 39th Street.  

One minute later, dispatch received a call from a woman regarding the same crash. She reported that a vehicle had just crashed into her yard. A minute after that, another woman called dispatch to report she had just watched a vehicle go through a light and crash into a yard.  

A Missoula Police Department officer arrived on the scene and immediately observed a gray SUV that had crashed through a chain-link fence and into a yard. Based on the officer’s observations, it appeared the vehicle went over a sidewalk, became airborne, hit a chain-link fence while in the air, traveled over a full car length in the air, landed in the yard, collided with a large dirt mount, went over the large mound, and finally came to a stop, barely missing the house on the west side. The officer used a digital mapping tool to determine the vehicle had crashed approximately 65 feet off the roadway. 

The officer approached the vehicle and saw that airbags were blocking the side windows. The officer walked to the front of the vehicle and saw Dahlquist sitting in the driver's seat. The officer walked to the driver’s side door and asked Dahlquist to step out of the vehicle.  

When the officer opened the driver’s door, he immediately observed a glass liquor bottle containing brown liquid. The officer asked Dahlquist if he was hurt at all and he said, “I’m not, to tell you the truth.” The officer asked Dahlquist what happened, and he said, “That’s a good question.”  

While speaking with Dahlquist, the officer noticed that he was swaying and staggering, his eyes were red and glossy, and his breath smelled of an alcoholic beverage. Court documents indicate Dahlquist was difficult and uncooperative with law enforcement.  

He refused to provide his identification and refused medical treatment. He refused to do Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. However, he did consent to have his blood drawn. He was transported to St. Patrick’s Hospital and a blood sample was taken. The results of that blood test are still pending. Dahlquist has two previous convictions for driving under the influence in 2010 and 2018. 

Dahlquist is currently being charged with felony criminal endangerment and DUI third offense. 

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.