https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/billings-woman-denies-9th-dui-in-carbon-county/article_ead1ba5e-0797-11df-b9e4-001cc4c03286.html
Palmersheim's attorney said she had sold her house and liquidated retirement savings to pay for treatment, had completed an intense recovery program, was working and was living in a sober house.
Montana lawmakers in 2021 enhanced the penalties for fourth and subsequent DUI convictions, but this incident occurred in 2020. The maximum allowed then was five years in prison or DOC custody.
Palmersheim’s daughter said via video from Texas that her mother had struggled with mental health issues and addiction for most of her life.
She said Palmersheim entered an inpatient treatment program after the DUI in Texas and finally received a comprehensive evaluation and proper diagnosis. “I have seen the court systems and the medical systems fail her over and over again, and she was sick,” the daughter said.
https://mtstandard.com/news/local/judge-to-woman-with-10-duis-the-punishment-has-got-to-fit-the-crime/article_2b4b5608-edf8-11ed-8a1a-770d1d1a8be1.html
Billings Police Sgt. Tony Barone, who has been leading a local enforcement effort, cited the Legislature's recent decision to replace mandatory prison time for fourth or subsequent DUI offenders with treatment. Although treatment is needed, repeat offenders need to be punished, he said. Under Montana law, repeat offenders cannot be sentenced to more than 13 months of prison.
"We're going the opposite direction here in Montana," Barone said. "If you don't do enough to stop it, you're advocating it. That's what the state is doing."
Barone said the lack of stiff penalties and cavalier attitudes are partially to blame for the people in Billings with up to eight DUI convictions.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/local/montana-urged-to-get-tough-on-drunks/article_988763cc-00e3-5397-8241-2d7ec33626d5.html
In Montana, 46 percent of the fatal crashes involving young people in 1999 also involved alcohol, Webb said. Across the nation, the average is 35 percent.
According to prosecutors, Anne Palmersheim, who already had nine DUI convictions in September 2020, was drunk when she swerved down a Butte street at a high speed on Sept. 6, 2020, drove through a detached garage and rammed a parked pickup into a house.
Her blood-alcohol content at the time of the crash was 0.229, and she fled Montana to live with her daughter in Texas, where 20 months later she was arrested for driving drunk in April 2022.
No surprise, as anyone with 8 previous convictions of drunk driving, is a drunk driver, and will repeat that behavior as long as they can drink alcohol, they have a vehicle, and there is fuel in the tank.
Palmersheim's attorney said she had sold her house and liquidated retirement savings to pay for treatment, had completed an intense recovery program, was working and was living in a sober house.
Montana lawmakers in 2021 enhanced the penalties for fourth and subsequent DUI convictions, but this incident occurred in 2020. The maximum allowed then was five years in prison or DOC custody.
Palmersheim’s daughter said via video from Texas that her mother had struggled with mental health issues and addiction for most of her life.
She said Palmersheim entered an inpatient treatment program after the DUI in Texas and finally received a comprehensive evaluation and proper diagnosis. “I have seen the court systems and the medical systems fail her over and over again, and she was sick,” the daughter said.
https://mtstandard.com/news/local/judge-to-woman-with-10-duis-the-punishment-has-got-to-fit-the-crime/article_2b4b5608-edf8-11ed-8a1a-770d1d1a8be1.html
In 1995 she was in prison for 12 months for DUI https://www.insideprison.com/state-inmate-search.asp?lnam=PALMERSHEIM&fnam=ANNE%20M&county=&st_abb=MT&id=872639
In 2001, the Billings Gazette published this:
On Feb. 7 2001, Anne Palmersheim, was charged with her eighth DUI after she smashed her vehicle into a bathtub sitting in front of a house.
Billings Police Sgt. Tony Barone, who has been leading a local enforcement effort, cited the Legislature's recent decision to replace mandatory prison time for fourth or subsequent DUI offenders with treatment. Although treatment is needed, repeat offenders need to be punished, he said. Under Montana law, repeat offenders cannot be sentenced to more than 13 months of prison.
"We're going the opposite direction here in Montana," Barone said. "If you don't do enough to stop it, you're advocating it. That's what the state is doing."
Barone said the lack of stiff penalties and cavalier attitudes are partially to blame for the people in Billings with up to eight DUI convictions.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/local/montana-urged-to-get-tough-on-drunks/article_988763cc-00e3-5397-8241-2d7ec33626d5.html
https://www.dahlfuneralchapel.com/obituaries/John-R-Palmersheim?obId=103694 (her brother died in 2011)
In my state you get more fines and jail time for a deer hunting violation, hunting out of season or night hunting etc, than you get for a DUI.
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