Driver gets five years for Lower Flathead car crash
A Tribal Fish and Game warden and two tow truck operators contemplate how to remove the yellow, 2002 SUV involved in a fatal accident that landed in the cold waters of the Flathead River off this 25-foot cliff. Two Missoula men were killed in the wreck while one man survived and was medevaced to a Kalispell hospital.
Shain Steffens
POLSON — After signing a plea agreement in Lake County District Court last Wednesday, 25-year-old Shain Steffens faces five years in jail with the other 15 years suspended for two counts of negligent homicide, stemming from an April 10, 2010 crash that resulted in the death of Joshua Clairmont, 23, and Drew Austin, 21.
On April 10, 2010, Steffens drove his 2002 Ford Escape sport utility vehicle off of a cliff and into the Flathead River near Polson, three miles east of Buffalo Bridge and two miles west of Kerr Dam at approximately 3 a.m., resulting in the drowning of passengers Clairmont and Austin.
Steffens, who is from Missoula, was the lone survivor of the crash and was hospitalized in stable condition at Kalispell Regional Medical Center on the day of the accident. He admitted to consuming eight beers before driving, court documents state. Steffens said that he was showing off and didn’t see the cliff.
Steffens drove off a 25-foot cliff before his vehicle hit a rocky outcropping and landed overturned in the river. The passenger side of the vehicle was submerged in the frigid waters.
While the area at the top of the cliff is a popular campsite, the road continues to a drop-off, documents state. The unnamed, four-wheel drive road Steffens was driving on runs parallel to Irvine Flats Road along the river, and ends at the cliff, Montana Highway Patrol Sgt. Randy Owen said in an earlier interview with the Leader.
“According to what I heard about the interview [with Steffens] is that they were a bit unfamiliar with the area and just didn’t see the road ending,” he said. “The water was down quite a bit, but had the water been up, we might have never found that vehicle.”
A blood test taken sometime after the accident did not show the presence of alcohol but did report levels of THC, indicating marijuana use.
After the accident occurred, Seth Brooks, of Pablo, was awoken while sleeping in his brother’s vehicle up the hill from the incident at approximately 9 a.m. He said a man later identified at Steffens was banging on the car window for help.
Steffens was wearing only a T-shirt, boxer shorts and was bleeding profusely. He told Brooks about the accident and said he had spent the night in the chilly water. He also said his friends were still in the vehicle.
“I was freaking out and I don’t know the guy,” Brooks said. “It was a scary way to wake up.”
Brooks offered his cell phone but had to walk up a hill to get cell reception. The 911 dispatch center received a call at around 1 p.m. and using GPS technology, was able to find the location of the accident.
Emergency responders including the LCSO, Tribal Police and Tribal Fish and Game, Lake County Search and Rescue, Polson Rural Fire, Polson and Ronan ambulances, Montana Highway Patrol and two emergency helicopters arrived on scene. Steffens was airlifted from the scene.
Rescuers had to descend the cliff using a few lengths of one-inch fire hose in order to approach the vehicle. They removed the victims from the wreck and checked their pulses to find that they had not survived.
According to the agreement, the Lake County Attorney’s office will recommend a sentence of 10 years with five years suspended for the first count of negligent homicide and all 10 years for the second count to be suspended. The maximum possible punishment for negligent homicide is 20 years in state prison and a $50,000 fine.
Steffens had pleaded not guilty to the two charges in September of last year before agreeing to the plea agreement.
Sentencing for Steffens will take place in District Court on Nov. 9.