Published On: April 28, 2017Categories: Montana Highway Patrol

The Montana Highway Patrol recently participated in a wet lab at the MSU Bozeman campus. The goal of the wet lab was to educate the student senators of the Associated Students of MSU about the effects of alcohol to prevent drinking and driving. This was spurred in part by a 19-year-old female MSU student that was involved in a fatal crash where alcohol was a factor in the crash. The students wanted to film the wet lab to create a PSA on campus to help prevent drinking and driving and keep their students safe. MSU University Police Department Chief of Police Frank Parrish’ message was that “buzzed driving” is drunk driving and we wanted to show folks that even low doses of alcohol can impede their ability to operate a vehicle safely.

We had nine volunteer drinkers that had a range of self-reported alcohol use from very seldom to multiple times per week. We weighed them and used a scientific dosing chart to calculate out a dose of alcohol for them that would range from under a .08, to .08, and over a .08 BAC. After the volunteers consumed their alcohol we put them through Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST’s), performed breath testing, and interviewed them about whether or not they would drive. The other factor that the volunteer drinkers got to see is how alcohol effects everyone differently from their behavior, to walking, talking, etc. This was also an important part because they could see how for some people, it was obvious that they were impaired and that other folks did not show as many outward signs but were still impaired.

The MSU University PD Chief of Police, Frank Parrish Jr., a prosecutor from the Bozeman County Attorney’s Office, the Dean of Students, and MHP’s SFST Coordinator, Trooper Doug Samuelson, all educated the volunteer drinkers on various areas that we deal with in the drinking and driving world. Sergeant Glen Barcus, Trooper Dan Amundson, and Trooper Bertie Lau who are all SFST instructors also assisted with the wet lab. Dan Haydon from the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Joel Heister from MSU PD who are both SFST instructors helped with the wet lab as well.

Here are some facts that the students learned about DUI offenses in Montana:
• An impaired driver can get a DUI even if they’re under a .08 BAC
• Sentences for a 1st offense DUI range from 24 hours- 6 months in jail
• Sentences for a 2nd offense DUI range from 7 days- 1 year in jail
• Fines for a 1st offense DUI range from $600-$1,000 not including court costs, treatment costs or pre/post trial supervision costs
• Fines for a 2nd offense DUI range from $1,200-$2,000 not including court costs, treatment costs or pre/post trial supervision costs