Man Charged With Felony DUI, Had a Blood Alcohol Content of .390

At about 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, Missoula Police Officers responded to Community Medical Center for a reported intoxicated driver. Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh explains.

“When the officers arrived, they made contact with the employee who identified 46-year-old James Lade,” Welsh said. “The employee told officers that Lade had been seen driving into the Emergency Room parking lot and coming into the building. They described Lade as being extremely intoxicated and said that he was currently in a restroom. When Lade came out of the restroom, officers made contact with him and began an investigation into DUI.”

According to court documents, hospital staff checked Lade’s blood alcohol content with a blood draw and the test returned a .390 BAC result. Officers then met with Lade, who appeared intoxicated based on the alcoholic odor coming from his person, and his difficulty processing instructions and maintaining balance.

The officer requested another blood draw, which Lade consented to. During the second blood draw, Lade stood from the chair twice, against instruction. Lade then asked the officer what would happen if Lade decided to fight him. Lade then began making a fist with his right hand while glaring at the officer. Lade then aggressively jumped out of his chair. The officer and hospital security took Lade to the ground and placed him under arrest.

Lade was charged with disorderly conduct and felony DUI. He has more than three prior DUI convictions.