Arizona man accused of DUI homicide pleads not guilty

An Arizona man accused of killing a Kalispell resident while allegedly driving drunk pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon in Flathead County District Court.

Thomas Owen Lefevre, 20, of Tucson, Arizona, entered his plea and District Court Judge Heidi Ulbricht, who scheduled a pre-trial conference for Nov. 25 and jury trial for Jan. 4.

The man who died, Robert Dale Meier, 59, of Kalispell, was asleep in a bedroom at his Rocky Cliff Drive residence when an eastbound 2011 Chevrolet Silverado reportedly failed to negotiate a curve and drove off the roadway, striking the house and entering the bedroom, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.

Charging documents indicate Montana Highway Patrol troopers were called to the home at about 11:36 p.m. June 20, after the man’s wife said her husband was asleep in bed when a truck drove into the house. Troopers saw the truck inside the home and Meier’s wife said he was somewhere under the debris.

The man in the chair was identified as Lefevre and he allegedly had an odor of alcohol from his breath and couldn’t perform simple tasks when instructed to do so by the trooper. After being taken into custody and to the Flathead County Jail, Lefevre allegedly had trouble getting out of the patrol vehicle, stumbled and struggled with walking straight.

The trooper asked him to perform several field sobriety tests, but Lefevre allegedly failed to do because of his extreme intoxication.

After having his rights read to him, Lefevre allegedly agreed to give a blood draw. It was sent to the Montana State Crime Lab.

After returning to the jail, Lefevre was read his rights again and allegedly agreed to speak with a trooper. The accused said he had consumed alcohol and was the only driver of the truck.

Meier was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center where he died of his injuries.

Lefevre was lodged in the Flathead County Jail on $500,000 bail before Greg and Robin Lefevre and Robert Martin Calfee III agreed to act as sureties after they put up land and property they own in Lake County, according to court documents filed June 30 in Flathead District Court.

Lefevre is facing a maximum term of 30 years in the Montana State Prison.

Meier’s family also filed a wrongful death suit against Lefevre in Flathead County District Court July 8.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com