Ronan man on probation dies in rear-end accident Sept. 23

RONAN – Andre Dullinger, a 25 year-old Ronan man, died after he slammed his car into the back of a commercial potato-hauling truck, at about 5:15 p.m., Sept. 23.

Montana Highway Patrol Sgt. Randy Owens said the crash occurred on the northbound side of US Highway 93 as the potato truck driver, a 47 year-old Polson man, was accelerating his fully-loaded truck to traffic speed. The truck driver just turned onto the road from Old Hwy 93.

Dullinger, who was driving a 2001 Toyota Avalon, was pronounced dead at the scene, Owens said.

The commercial potato truck driver was unharmed.

Dullinger was at the center of controversy in January after he was arrested in Shoshone County on two felony counts that included possession of stolen merchandise, according to a Shoshone Newspress article.

The newspaper reported that local authorities recovered $1,299 worth of previously stolen property from Dullinger at the Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area near the Idaho/Montana border.

Along with the merchandise charges, Dullinger faced charges of battery and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver use or possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a schedule III controlled substance.

Items in Dullinger’s possession were reportedly stolen from a 13-year-old on Dec. 23, from Lookout Pass, according to a police report. The teenager confronted Dullinger, who was accused of striking the teenager’s hands, then fleeing on the stolen equipment down a ski slope, then making a run for his own car.

When Lookout Pass Operations Manager Casey Hatfield tried to stop Dullinger from leaving, police said Dullinger hit Hatfield, striking him in his knees.

When ultimately stopped, Dullinger law enforcement officials found packed baggies of marijuana, a scale, pipe, cash and three and a half pills.

The Montana Department of Corrections showed Dullinger to be on probation as of June 3.

While investigating his death, Montana Highway Patrol troopers will look at speed, alcohol, distracted driving and other factors to determine the accident’s cause.

The northbound side of Hwy. 93 was closed for several hours after the accident and traffic was re-routed through Pablo, Owens said.

Officers from the Montana Highway Patrol, Lake County Sheriff’s Department, CSKT Police, Ronan Fire and Rescue and Montana Department of Transportation assisted at the accident scene.