Mother pleads not guilty in death of her son

Stacey Ann Twoteeth pleaded not guilty in Lake County District Court last week to felony vehicular homicide.

Twoteeth was driving when she rolled her car and killed a passenger last year.

Witnesses said Twoteeth was driving erratically at a high rate of speed westbound on Jocko Road July 14, 2014, and narrowly averted a head-on collision with another driver just before the 12:12 p.m. accident, according to a Lake County Court affidavit.

The passenger, Dakota Lafley, 26, of Arlee and Twoteeth’s son, was ejected from the truck and pronounced dead at the scene. An assistant coroner later determined Lafley, a CSKT member and descendent of Chief Charlo, was killed by blunt force trauma from the accident, records said.

Twoteeth was also ejected from the truck and was transported to the hospital for treatment.

Neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt, the Montana Highway Patrol reported. 

Lake County prosecutors filed the homicide charges against Twoteeth June 5, which prompted a court appearance summons to be issued.

According to the filed affidavit, Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Terry Rosenbaum was first to arrive on scene and found the Ford Ranger. Rosenbaum determined that the truck was traveling westbound on Jocko Road about .2 miles east of Coldwater Lane, the court document said.

Authorities reported that no signs of braking, acceleration or deceleration were found.

An omnibus hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16 and a jury trial is set for Dec. 14.