A 28-year-old Kalispell woman received a 10-year suspended sentence for negligent vehicular assault for a crash that critically injured an off-duty sheriff’s deputy. 

Lucy Ammons Beard’s vehicle crossed the median on U.S. 93 North and struck Flathead County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Brauer head-on at 2:44 a.m. on Aug. 3, 2013. 

Both Beard and Brauer had to be cut out of their vehicles and were transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center for treatment. 

The Montana Highway Patrol had blood tested from both drivers. Brauer had no drugs or alcohol in his system. Beard’s blood-alcohol level was .079 (the legal limit is .08) but she also had “multiple drug substances” in her blood. 

Beard, who initially pleaded not guilty and was later convicted on a no-contest plea, also received a suspended fine of $1,000. 

“I’m not going to complain about the court’s decision,” Brauer said of the sentence. “I was really glad that the judge gave her the 10-year suspended sentence so that it’s on her record.” 

Beard could have been offered a deferred sentence, which would allow for her to petition for the charge to be erased from her record after a designated period of a time. A suspended sentence keeps the felony on her criminal record for life. 

Brauer, who was off-duty and on his way home after watching a movie at a friend’s house in Kalispell, suffered extensive injuries.

He sustained a broken left femur, left tibia, right heel, right kneecap and right wrist. Most of his left foot was broken, too. He later found out that he had almost bled to death from his femur injury. 

Brauer underwent surgery in Kalispell to install a rod in his left leg and a plate in his knee and was flown to Seattle for surgeries on his wrist and feet. Afterward, he went through two months of treatment and recovery before being allowed to go home. 

“I wanted her to serve 90 days in jail, because that was how long I couldn’t use my legs or my right hand,” Brauer said. “But onward and upward.”