Driver in fatal crash has history of diabetes-related accidents

A St. Ignatius man who hit a Polson couple head-on last month, ultimately killing the driver, has a history of diabetes-related accidents and reckless driving complaints spanning several years, including a 911 call that occurred just seconds before the Dec. 3 accident, according to county dispatch logs and police records.

Leland Ellwein, 68, was driving northbound on Highway 93 a few miles south of Arlee just inside the Missoula County line when his truck crossed over the center line and struck a car driven by Bill Kayser, who died six days later, on Dec. 9. His wife Peggy and Ellwein both survived the accident after all three were pulled from their burning vehicles by other drivers who were behind the vehicles at the time of the accident (see related story below).

Two people who witnessed the accident called Lake County dispatch at 1:52 p.m., seconds before the impact occurred, to report a vehicle driving northbound on Highway 93 that was "swerving all over the road" north of Evaro Hill, and a review of Lake County dispatch and police records indicates that Ellwein has a history of diabetes-related driving problems, including two separate accidents in Polson in which he hit a tree and sideswiped a parked car within a 13-month period.

The callers on Dec. 3 did not give their names or a vehicle description, but the location, time of call, and direction of travel all match the circumstances of the accident, and the person called back a few seconds later to report that one vehicle had hit another head-on, and that both vehicles were now on fire.

In other cases, county dispatch records also indicate that at least four people have called in Ellwein's vehicle and license plate as a suspected drunk or reckless driver after observing his 2001 Toyota Tacoma repeatedly crossing the center line and in one case, swerving out of the way of oncoming traffic shortly before impact.

Ellwein acknowledged that he has had diabetes-related driving problems in the past, including the two Polson accidents, but said in an interview earlier this week that the cause of the Dec. 3 accident was slushy driving conditions, not his diabetes. He has not been cited for the Dec. 3 accident, and has not received any citations for reckless driving despite numerous complaints over the past several years.

"I had some problems [with diabetes] but I got that taken care of," Ellwein said. "I got into the slush, and once I got into the slush I couldn't do nothing with my car. I'm not used to driving in the snow."

Specifically, court and police records show that:

The first of Ellwein's two Polson accidents occurred on June 9, 2002, at 4:20 p.m., when his vehicle drifted off of 4th St. West, and struck a tree at the intersection of 6th Ave. West. The police report states that Ellwein was "very disoriented, and did not know he had crashed. It was determined that his blood sugar was extremely low. He was treated and released from St. Joseph hospital. He did not receive any injuries in the accident. He was wearing a bracelet stating he was a diabetic."

Two months later, on Aug. 18, 2002, a woman reported Ellwein's vehicle weaving back and forth on Highway 93 in Ravalli at 10:48 p.m. on a Sunday night. The dispatcher noted the woman said his "truck travels in the opposite lane until the truck meets a vehicle and then waits until it almost runs into the oncoming vehicle and then pulls back over into the correct lane." The license plate given was that of Ellwein's vehicle, but an officer was unable to locate him that night.

The second of Ellwein's two Polson accidents occurred on July 12, 2003 at 12:32 p.m. when Ellwein was traveling south on 1st St. West and reportedly suffered a diabetic seizure, in which he apparently blacked out and sideswiped one vehicle, sending it crashing into another parked in front of it, according to the Polson police report. Although there were two men in the third vehicle, nobody was injured. Ellwein was taken to St. Joseph hospital, treated and released.

On Sept. 11, 2004, at 10:22 p.m., two Kalispell women traveling through Ronan called in Ellwein's vehicle as a possible DUI after seeing it weave through the middle of town. Although both women were willing to sign a complaint, Ellwein's vehicle was not located and no other reports came in.

On May 14, 2005, at 2:52 p.m., an off-duty Tribal officer called in Ellwein's vehicle as a possible DUI on Highway 93 just north of Polson. The off-duty Tribal officer was out of uniform and unable to initiate a traffic stop, and told dispatch that "the vehicle is all over the road," and recorded Ellwein's license plate. According to Polson police logs, a Polson officer pulled Ellwein over at the 4B's restaurant parking lot, and reported that it wasn't a DUI, but that the driver was "having diabetic problems."

Under state law, drivers who are willing to sign a complaint against someone can have them prosecuted for reckless driving or a number of other driving-related offenses, but law enforcement officials must usually catch the person driving in order for the prosecution to be successful. With the exception of the May 14 incident, officers were apparently unable to locate the vehicle while it was being driven. Because of that, it is not known for sure whether Ellwein was driving in all cases, but he acknowledged having problems with diabetes, and that it had affected his driving in the past.

"All I know is that I had two accidents. I hit a tree one time, and also hit a car on the side of the road," he said.

Ellwein confirmed that the Polson accidents were related to his diabetes, as indicated in the police reports. He said he had no idea that multiple reports had been filed based on other drivers seeing his vehicle being driven in an erratic manner.

He said he's a disabled veteran who has told the Veterans Administration about his problem with diabetes, but that he hasn't gotten much help from the VA.

Ellwein expressed remorse for Kayser's death, saying he wanted to visit the family in the hospital but didn't know if it was appropriate. Kayser left behind a wife, Polson Middle School secretary Peggy Kayser, and five children.

"I wanted to go see him in the hospital, but I didn't know if I should or not," he said.

Ellwein said he has not been charged in the accident, nor was he charged with anything in the Polson accidents, according to the police reports. He said he expects to get a ticket though, for the Dec. 3 accident.

"I'm waiting for it, but I don't know if I'm going to get it [a ticket]. I told the cops, 'Hell, I lost it on the road,' and that's exactly what happened," he said.

A message left at the Missoula county attorney's office was not returned.

According to Ellwein, he had a large hot dog and Kool Aid at Costco in Missoula shortly after noon, and then headed home after 1 p.m. He said he tested his blood sugar level at Costco, and it was 68 at about noon. He said when it was tested at the hospital a couple hours after the accident it was 43.

"I knew I was safe [when I left Costco]. I had a hot dog, and drank some Kool Aid. That was at 12 [p.m.] or a little after. I can only eat so much. A hot dog is plenty for me, especially that big one they make at Costco," he said.

Ellwein said he planned to turn in his driver's license because of the accident. He said he wanted to move to Washington where a niece had volunteered to drive him around.

"They can have my license. I'm not going to drive anymore. To me, it ain't worth it. I just don't want to be on the road driving. If I buy a car I will have my niece drive me," he said as he started to cry. "As far as I'm concerned, I wish it had been me instead of Mr. Kayser. It's been tearing me up ever since."