State Snapshots

By The Associated Press - 09/07/2008

Man shoots self during traffic stop MISSOULA (AP) — Missoula police say a 45-year-old man shot himself in to death during a traffic stop.

The Missoula County sheriff's department is investigating.

Sheriff's Lt. Rich Maricelli says an officer made a routine traffic stop at about 5:30 p.m. Friday, spoke to the female driver and the male passenger, then returned to his patrol car to run their names.

As the officer approached the vehicle again, the man got out of the car and began walking away.

Witnesses told KPAX television that the officer used a stun gun on the man, and that they heard a shot. The man died at the hospital. His name hasn't been released.

Maricelli says investigators do not believe any of the officers discharged their weapons.

YNP summer visits top 2007 numbers YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — More people visited Yellowstone National Park in June, July and August than during those months last year.

Park spokesman Al Nash says park visitation set a record in June and was strong in July and August. Visitation topped 612,000 in June, 826,000 in July and 735,000 in August.

Overall, visitation for those months was up 1.4 percent compared to last year.

For the year, visits are down about half a percentage point compared to 2007. Yellowstone officials say that's probably because of cold and wet weather this past spring.

Summertime visitation was strong despite the weak economy and high gas prices.

Man accused of drunken driving with kids in SUV BILLINGS — A man accused of driving drunk through a public park on the Rimrocks with his three young children in the vehicle was arraigned Friday in District Court.

Gregory Allen Johnson, 30, appeared by video from the county jail and pleaded not guilty to felony charges of criminal endangerment and DUI. Johnson was also charged with a misdemeanor charge of being a habitual traffic offender and three counts of criminal contempt.

Deputy County Attorney Ingrid Rosenquist said Johnson was released from jail in June after posting a $5,000 bond and was awaiting trial on similar charges.

In the newest case, Johnson was arrested Aug. 30 shortly before 5 p.m. when officers responded to a report of a large SUV driving off-road, court records state. Officers stopped a GMC Yukon near the grave after finding it speeding through the area.

Johnson smelled of alcohol and was arrested after performing poorly on a field sobriety test, prosecutors said. He allegedly admitted drinking alcohol, court records state.

Officers said a 46-year-old woman and Johnson's three children, ages, 7, 6 and 3, were passengers in the SUV.

Bond is set at $25,000.

— Billings Gazette staff