Troy man gets jail time for reckless driving near first responders

A local man is lodged in the Lincoln County Detention Center following his conviction for negligent endangerment for passing multiple emergency vehicles earlier this year as they prepared to set up for an ALERT helicopter pickup on U.S. 2.

Mark Thomas Whipple, of Troy, received a one-year sentence in the jail after a trial on Dec. 13. He was tried by county Attorney Marcia Boris and defended by Scott B. Johnson. A jury convicted him of negligent endangerment, substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.

Justice Court Judge Jay C. Sheffield ordered that Whipple serve 30 days with 335 days suspended. Whipple must also pay a $1,085 in fines and fees. He will be released on Jan. 12, 2024, according to court documents.

According to a report by Montana Highway Patrol’s Virgil Sadewasser, he contacted a member of the Troy Volunteer Fire Department at about 7:12 p.m. on March 23 about a traffic complaint.

The member told Sadewasser that someone driving a dark blue or black Chevy pickup, with an emblem that referenced being in the military on the driver side of the vehicle, had passed some emergency vehicles on their way to set up for an ALERT helicopter pickup site.

According to Sadewasser’s report, the fire department member described the plate as a disabled veteran plate from Montana with a few variations on the tag number. Sadewasser’s investigation showed Whipple was the registered owner of the truck.

When the officer called Whipple he asked him if his truck had left his house. Whipple said he had been in Troy for a week-and-a-half, according to the report.

“When I informed Whipple of the incident, Mr. Whipple got very verbally violent and started cussing over the phone,” Sadewasser wrote. “Mr. Whipple told me I was disrespecting him by asking if it was his truck that passed the emergency vehicles. Mr. Whipple told me he had more clearance than me to ask him questions. Mr. Whipple wanted the assistant fire chief’s name. 

“Mr. Whipple acted absolutely blown away when I told him the plate to his truck. Mr. Whipple’s demeanor changed. Mr. Whipple went as far to say, “you went all detective on this one.”

Sadewasser wrote in his report that he had called both parties and asked questions at that point. 

“I was glad that I didn’t go to Mr. Whipple’s residence to confront him about the incident, due to how aggressive he was on the phone,” Sadewasser wrote. “Mr. Whipple’s wife was at training. This left Mr. Whipple as the only other authorized driver for his vehicle. Mr. Whipple stated that his vehicle was at his house.”

The trooper also collected six statements from the firefighters on this ALERT call.