Fast food trip ends with arrest, felony charges

A trip to a fast food drive thru in Libby ended with a Kalispell man facing driving under the influence charges in Lincoln County District Court.

Authorities charged Clifford Daniel Delger, 42, with driving under the influence, fourth of subsequent offense, operating a noncommercial vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more, driving with a suspended license and possessing an open container of alcohol following his Aug. 29 arrest.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges during his Sept. 21 arraignment.

Libby police were called to the McDonald’s about 8:54 p.m. after a restaurant employee reported a customer “twitching” and slurring his words while placing an order, court documents said.

Officer Ian Smith of the Libby Police Department recalled responding to the scene in an affidavit. While he spoke with the driver, identified as Delger, he also noticed slurred words. Delger displayed “uncontrolled movements,” Smith wrote.

Peering into the car, Smith spotted several open cans of spiked tea, including one within reach of Delger, court documents said.

As Smith performed a field sobriety test, Delger admitted to smoking methamphetamine earlier in the day, according to the affidavit. He told Smith that the aftereffects of the drug are long lasting for him, court documents said.

Delger failed the field sobriety test.

Smith learned about that time that Delger had four previous driving under the influence convictions — July 1999 in Lincoln County, March 2003 in Cascade County, July 2003 in Great Falls and May 2013 in Missoula County — and a suspended license.

Delger declined to consent to a blood draw, but Smith secured a warrant.

An omnibus hearing is scheduled for Nov. 30 with a pretrial conference to follow on Jan. 11. Were it to go to trial, it would start Feb. 16.