Paulson man pleads guilty to eighth DUI

A Paulson man facing DUI number eight pleaded guilty to an amended charge of criminal endangerment. Craig Britton, 56, pleaded guilty during an Oct. 30 hearing in Polson County District Court.

The parties agreed to waive the preliminary investigation and proceed directly to sentencing. Judge Molly Owen sent Britton to the Montana Department of Corrections for three years, with the exception of 98 days suspended.

According to court records, an ambulance driver in Polson contacted law enforcement on July 25 to report a disorderly driver behind the ambulance. Law enforcement located the suspect’s vehicle on E. 13th Avenue in Polson and spoke with the driver, identified as Britton.

The officer also noticed a bottle of booze in the car. The investigation led to a preliminary breath test showing Britton’s blood alcohol content was 0.118.

The three-year probation will run consecutively to the nine months Britton is serving for fleeing another jurisdiction.