Missoula Woman With a BAC of .239 Had Children in Her Car

On December 30, 2021, at approximately 5:55 p.m., a Montana Highway Patrol trooper received a report of a vehicle swerving all over the road while driving southbound on Highway 93N. A Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputy quickly located the vehicle parked at Town Pump and pointed it out to the MHP trooper. The trooper observed a female carrying a case of beer as she walk up to the driver’s-side door of the vehicle.

The trooper made contact with the female, identified as 43-year-old Gail Pablo, and informed her that a complainant had reported her unsafe driving behavior. Pablo admitted she drove south on Highway 93 from Evaro. She explained that she did not have her glasses and could not see as she drove. Pablo also admitted that she drank “quite a few” after the trooper smelled the odor of alcohol coming from her person. Court documents indicate Pablo also exhibited slow speech and watery eyes.

The trooper then observed two children seated inside the vehicle. Pablo explained that she drove the children down from Evaro to see family. She admitted, “I’m drunk, and I’m sorry.” She provided a breath sample showing a BAC of .278.

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The trooper placed Pablo under arrest and transported her to jail after finding a safe ride for the children. At the jail, Pablo provided a breath sample of .239. The Trooper noted Pablo has a “learner’s license” and was not supposed to be driving without another validly licensed driver in the vehicle.

On Monday afternoon, Pablo made her initial appearance in Missoula Justice Court. According to Deputy County Attorney Carrie Garber, the state’s primary concern in this case is in regards to monitoring for alcohol. Judge Beal said no continuous monitors are currently available. Garber asked that Pablo be provided one of those monitors as soon as one is available.

“In the interim though, the state requests some form of alcohol monitoring through the pretrial supervision program and standard conditions,” Garber said. “The state is alleging her BAC was a .239. She was called in by multiple other drivers on the roadway and was observed swerving all over the road with the two children in the car. We believed that the alcohol monitoring is necessary.”

Judge Beal decided to release Pablo on her own recognizance and she was placed under pretrial supervision.

Pablo is currently being charged with felony criminal endangerment and driving under the influence second offense, which is a misdemeanor.

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.