Man sentenced for fatal drunken driving crash

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By The Associated Press

Story Published: Aug 19, 2008 at 3:48 AM MST

Story Updated: Aug 19, 2008 at 3:48 AM MST

GREAT FALLS - A Fort Belknap man convicted for a drunken driving crash that killed one of his passengers has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.

Sixty-two-year-old Kenneth Helgeson was convicted in April of involuntary manslaughter for the June 2006 crash that killed 63-year-old Jean LaTray. He was sentenced Monday.

Helgeson was driving on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation when he crashed his truck into a ditch. LaTray was pronounced dead at the scene. After the accident, Helgeson's blood alcohol content was 0.24. That's three times the legal limit for driving.

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