Troy woman pleads guilty to running over man

A Troy woman accused of running over a man with a truck while two small children were inside the vehicle pleaded guilty to the offense Monday in Lincoln County District Court.

Helen Katherine Palmer initially faced four charges, including two for criminal endangerment, one for attempted deliberate homicide and one for failure to stop and remain at the scene of an accident involving death or serious bodily injury.

She pleaded guilty to an amended charge of assault with a weapon and one count of criminal endangerment.

Palmer said during a June 6 court hearing that, “I feel I have a pretty good case.”

District Judge Matt Cuffe set Palmer’s sentencing for Oct. 7 and ordered a pre-sentence investigation. Palmer remains in the county jail on $50,000 bail.

Palmer was arrested by Troy Police officer Mike Miller at about 6:17 p.m. Friday, May 10, at the intersection of Third Street and Yaak Avenue in Troy.

According to Miller’s report, he was called to the location for a reported pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Dispatch said a female driver allegedly hit the man and was standing over him. Miller reported that when he arrived the woman had left and he saw the man laying on the ground. The man said Palmer had hit him.

The man told officer Miller that Palmer told him to get out of the truck, told him to walk and then ran over him. He also said Palmer came over and allegedly told him she would kill him if he didn’t get up. The man said Palmer had been drinking and coming down off of meth.

Officer Miller said two children were in the truck at the time of the incident. Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Bryce Ford told officer Miller that there was a witness to the incident. Miller spoke to the witness who said, “the lady drove and smacked him and he went flying.”

The witness also said Palmer pulled off to the side of the road, came and stood over the man before speeding away.

After the man was transported from the scene by ambulance, officer Miler began to search for the woman.

At about 9:30 p.m., then-Troy Police Chief Katie Davis said security cameras may have caught the incident. When officer Miller viewed the video footage, he reported seeing a Dodge pickup pull over to the right hand side of the road on Yaak Avenue. He saw the man get out of the truck and began to walk away, but Palmer allegedly spun tires, causing dirt to fly before swerving and striking the man.

The officer reported that Palmer got out of the truck, stood over the man and left.

At about 10:42 p.m., officer Miller saw the truck at a residence. After calling for backup, county deputy Chris Pape went to the home. The officers saw Palmer asleep in the driver’s seat of the truck. After reading Palmer her rights, she spoke to officer Miller, according to the charging document.

Palmer allegedly told the officer the man asked to be let out of the truck. She said she was, “(profanity) off and when she went to leave, the man jumped in front of the truck.”

A conviction for criminal endangerment may result in a 10-year prison term and for assault with a weapon, 20 years.