MISSOULA – A Missoula woman was sentenced to five years with the Montana Department of Corrections after being convicted of fleeing the scene of fatal hit-and-run.
On Monday, Missoula District Court Judge Leslie Halligan sentenced Emily Levens to 10 years with the DOC, with five years suspended, for failing to remain at the scene of fatal accident in February 2017.
Levens was charged for failing to stop at a scene where Benno Big Back Jr., 32, was killed.
In January, Missoula prosecutors amended Levens’ charges by dropping the vehicular homicide while under the influence charge.
Levens pleaded guilty to the amended charges of failure to remain at the scene where a person was killed and misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence, driving with a suspended or revoked license and driving without insurance
The fatal accident happened at the intersection of Mount Avenue and Hollis Street.
A resident called 911 reporting a woman standing over the man’s body. When the witness told Levens she was calling for help, Levens got in her SUV and drove away.
Police found Levens a short time later at her home.
In court documents, Levens told authorities she had been at a casino drinking the evening before driving home and didn’t see Big Back Jr until she hit him.
Big Back Jr. was attending the University of Montana at the time of his death.
