A Missoula woman, Carol Ann Burrafato, is in St. Patrick Hospital with serious injuries after allegedly driving drunk, crashing into two other vehicles and then eluding police through  the downtown area on Thursday.January 29.

Investigating Highway Patrol Trooper Andrew Novak said the incident began when Burrafato rear-ended a pickup truck at a stoplight.

"According to witnesses, she then cursed at the driver of the pickup, backed up and struck the vehicle behind her, then went forward and struck the pickup truck again hard enough to get around it," Novak said. "She then took off at a high speed and several pedestrians had to jump out of her way to avoid being struck."

At this point, Novak said city police cars began to pursue Burrafato's vehicle through downtown Missoula. Witnesses said she nearly struck a school bus during the pursuit.

" It is my understanding that Ms. Burrafato's Chevy Malibu reached speeds that made it unsafe for officers to continue the pursuit," he said. "The incident was concluded with a head-on crash when the suspect turned the wrong way onto Main Street and struck a vehicle that was going the proper direction."

Court documents indicate that Burrafato sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to St. Patrick Hospital, where her blood was taken for suspicion of DUI.

She has been charged with three felony counts of criminal endangerment, her fourth DUI, a felony, as well as misdemeanor charges of eluding a peace officer and reckless driving.

She is scheduled for an appearance in Missoula Justice Court of February 20, upon her release from the hospital.

Novak said no one else was seriously injured in the incident.

 

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