Man arrested after PL crash

COOLIN — A Bonner County man was arrested on a felony drunken driving charge after injuring his passenger in a rollover crash at Priest Lake on Monday.

James Louis Davis is charged with aggravated driving under the influence and possession of an open container of alcohol. He was scheduled to make an initial appearance in Bonner County Magistrate Court on Tuesday, although court minutes from the hearing were not immediately available.

Davis rolled a Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck down an embankment in the 8000 block of Eastshore Road, according to a sheriff’s deputy’s affidavit. A female passenger, who was unconscious at one point, was flown to Kootenai Health for treatment.

One witness to the crash said Davis took a corner at a high rate of speed, causing the truck to overturn. A motorcyclist whose bike was clipped by the pickup told a sheriff’s deputy that the pickup was traveling 50-70 mph on Eastshore, a notoriously winding and narrow road on the east side of the lake.

Davis, 50, suffered injuries in the crash but refused medical treatment, the affidavit said.

Davis, according to court documents, told a deputy he consumed three drinks prior to the crash. His breath-alcohol content was measured at 0.19, which is more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.

Davis is being prosecuted at the felony level because his passenger suffered great bodily harm in the collision. She was suspected of having a concussion and a broken collarbone, according to the affidavit.

A preliminary hearing on the felony charge is set for June 19.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.