GREAT FALLS, Montana – In a case that highlights the dangers of reckless driving, a 29-year-old man from Browning has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for causing a fatal crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.
Douglas Dean McDonald pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of involuntary manslaughter. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case.
On the afternoon of June 9, 2024, McDonald was driving a sedan at a high rate of speed with his family on board when he struck and killed a motorcyclist. The crash occurred about five miles outside of Browning, heading east toward Cut Bank.
According to court documents, McDonald was traveling at 118mph when he changed lanes and struck the motorcycle. The motorcyclist, a man whose identity has not been released, was operating the vehicle with his wife as a passenger. The wife was not seriously injured.
Montana Highway Patrol conducted the crash investigation, which revealed that McDonald’s vehicle slowed to 114mph two seconds before the collision and then slowed to 99mph one second before. If McDonald had been going the posted speed limit of 70mph, the motorcyclist would have been able to successfully execute the U-turn.
The toxicology report showed that McDonald had a range of substances in his system at the time of the crash, including alcohol, marijuana, fentanyl, methamphetamine, norfentanyl, amphetamine, and gabapentin.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Highway Patrol.
McDonald was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of reckless driving and the importance of prioritizing road safety.
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Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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