Tribal leader wants charges dropped for drunken driving

BROWNING — A state senator and Blackfeet tribal council member plans to ask a judge to drop federal drunken-driving and obstruction charges against him now that he has pleaded guilty to similar charges in tribal court.

Sen. Shannon Augare apologized Tuesday in his first public comments since he fled a Glacier County sheriff’s deputy who stopped him on U.S. Highway 2 within the northwestern Montana reservation on May 26.

“I think it’s important to acknowledge my behavior and apologize to the entire law enforcement community, to my colleagues on the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council and the Montana Senate, to my constituents and, most importantly, my family. I let quite a few people down, but I own this, this was entirely my fault and I apologize,” Augare said in a news conference.

After pleading guilty and being sentenced in tribal court on Oct. 23 to charges of threatening a public official, DUI and reckless driving, the Browning Democrat said he plans to ask U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong to dismiss the pending federal charges.

Augare said he will respect the federal court’s final decision, whatever it may be.

A trial is scheduled for Nov. 7 in U.S. District Court in Great Falls on charges of DUI, reckless driving and obstruction of a peace officer.

Augare was joined at Tuesday’s press conference by tribal council members Leonard Guardipee and Chief Earl Old Person. Those three and acting council secretary Roger “Sassy” Running Crane split from the rest of the council last week after Blackfeet chairman Willie Sharp Jr. suspended Augare and council member Leonard Guardipee, then reinstated three previously suspended members.

Sharp suspended Augare after Augare refused the chairman’s request to step down from the council until his legal problems are behind him. Sharp followed that with a letter Thursday offering a compromise to reunite the council if Augare permanently resigns his position.

Augare’s faction called Sharp’s actions illegal, and he, Running Crane, Guardipee and Earl Old Person said they don’t recognize the suspensions. Nor do they recognize Sharp’s reinstatement of three previously suspended council members, Bill Old Chief, Paul McEvers and Cheryl Little Dog, they said.