Suspected drunk driver kills pedestrian near Columbia Falls

Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino on Tuesday identified the victim as 21-year-old Robert Dewbre. Heino said the incident occurred near the Blue Moon Nite Club. The bar is about 2.75 miles west of Columbia Falls, on the northeast corner of the intersection of U.S. Highway 2 and Montana Route 40.

The collision occurred near the intersection, according to Autumn Powers, a spokeswoman for the Montana Highway Patrol. She said the collision occurred around 2 a.m. Saturday, when the road was snow-covered.

A driver in a GMC Sierra pickup truck was eastbound on U.S. Highway 2 when Dewbre ran across the road from the north side to the south in front of the oncoming truck, she said. The driver was unable to avoid Dewbre, she said, and struck him in the roadway. 

Dewbre was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was uninjured. 

Trooper Robert Hensley said Tuesday that the driver showed signs of impairment and is under investigation for suspected DUI. Alcohol impairment was suspected for Dewbre, too, Hensley said.