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Montana Man Charged With Aggravated DUI After Driving to Sheriff’s Office to Pay Fine

Deputies say a preliminary breath test registered three times the legal limit.

Overview

  • The 25-year-old arrived at the Granite County Courthouse and Sheriff’s Office in Philipsburg to pay an open‑container fine and file a complaint.
  • Sheriff Rico Barkell noticed apparent intoxication while the man waited for assistance and asked him to step outside.
  • The man admitted he had driven there and said he had two drinks and smoked two bowls of marijuana that day.
  • A preliminary breath test indicated a blood‑alcohol level triple the legal limit, and deputies reported finding an open container in his vehicle.
  • He was booked on aggravated DUI and open‑container charges, the investigation was assigned to Undersheriff Chris Robinson, and the sheriff’s office issued a Facebook PSA urging residents to seek rides or walk instead of driving impaired.