UPDATE: Motorcycle vs. Truck Crash on Reserve Street in Missoula

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On April 10th, 2026, at approximately 2:41 p.m., Missoula County dispatchers received multiple 911 calls about a vehicle that had struck a motorcyclist near the intersection of Reserve Street and Spurgin Road. One 911 caller said the suspect vehicle, a grey Toyota Tacoma, had fled the scene after striking the motorcycle, and that the motorcyclist was airborne for approximately 30 feet.

The caller followed the Tacoma and continued updating dispatchers as to the truck’s location and direction of travel. Eventually, the Tacoma pulled over in the area of Schilling Street and Fairview Ave. A Missoula Police Department Officer located the Tacoma parked on Fairview Ave with extensive front-end damage, occupied by one adult male.

When the male was removed from the Tacoma, the officer noticed he had urinated in his pants and had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. The driver’s eyes were glassy, and his speech was very slurred. The Tacoma’s driver ’s-side airbag had deployed, as well. The male was identified by his MT driver’s license as 41-year-old Brian Ballenger.

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Another officer began conducting a DUI investigation by conducting Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFTS). Ballenger showed six of six indicators of impairment on the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus assessment. During this process, as the officer was attempting to explain the severity of the crash, Ballenger said, “It’s Friday afternoon, and I just got in a crash.” The officer was unable to continue with the SFST process due to Ballenger’s apparent heavy level of intoxication.

Alcohol and Evidence: Discovery in the Vehicle

When another officer arrived on scene to secure Ballenger’s vehicle to be towed to the police department’s secure storage facility, he observed two small bottles of liquor and one pint sitting on the passenger seat.

Another officer arrived at the scene as medical personnel were assessing Ballenger for any injuries. When one of the EMTs on scene asked Ballenger if he remembered what happened. Ballenger responded by saying, “I think I was drinking a lot and then I maybe crashed.”

The officer read Ballenger the Preliminary Alcohol Screening Test advisory, and Ballenger provided a PBT sample that registered .377 BAC, which is well over four times the legal limit. Ballenger then consented to a legal blood draw at St. Patrick Hospital.

The Victim's Condition: Medical Reports

An officer responded to the hospital and met with the attending emergency room physician treating the motorcyclist. The attending physician informed the officer that the motorcyclist’s injuries were most likely not life-threatening but were certainly life-altering. The motorcyclist’s left leg was severely crushed, and he had broken bones protruding from his leg.

On April 11th, a detective met with the motorcyclist at the hospital. Staff said almost all the bones in the motorcyclist’s left foot had been crushed, and he had sustained a compound fracture in his left leg. He was scheduled for another surgery on April 14th, and the totality of his injuries to his left leg will not be completely known for some time. Additionally, the detective was advised that the doctors are still assessing the potential that there was severe vascular damage to the leg and foot.

READ MORE: Missoula News - Crime Reports

A detective assessed the front-end damage to Ballenger’s Tacoma. The front hood was crumpled up, and the entire front engine compartment was demolished, and the vehicle appears “totaled.” Ballenger’s criminal history shows he was convicted of Aggravated DUI on 04/03/2024 and DUI 1st offense on 01/15/2020.

Ballenger is currently being charged with felony negligent vehicular assault - resulting in serious bodily injury, felony criminal endangerment, failure to stop immediately at the accident scene - injured person, and DUI third offense. His bond was set at $50,000.

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