An Arizona man accused of driving drunk, crashing into a Kalispell home and killing a man who lived there has been charged with felony vehicular homicide while under the influence.

Thomas Owen Lefevre, 20, of Tucson, Arizona, is facing a maximum term of 30 years in the Montana State Prison. He is lodged in the Flathead County Jail on $500,000 bail.

The man who died, Robert Dale Meier, 59, of Kalispell, was asleep in a bedroom at his Rocky Cliff Drive residence when an eastbound 2011 Chevrolet Silverado reportedly failed to negotiate a curve and drove off the roadway, striking the house and entering the bedroom, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.

Charging documents indicate Montana Highway Patrol troopers were called to the home at about 11:36 p.m. Saturday, June 20, after the man’s wife said her husband was asleep in bed when a truck drove into the house.

Troopers saw the truck inside the home and Meier’s wife said he was somewhere under the debris. One trooper saw a young man sitting on a chair in the living room, busy on his cellphone and obviously impaired, according to court documents.

The man in the chair was identified as Lefevre and he allegedly had an odor of alcohol from his breath and couldn’t perform simple tasks when instructed to do so by the trooper.

According to the document, Lefevre’s main concern was his cellphone and not with the crash or the injured man. After being taken into custody and to the Flathead County Jail, Lefevre allegedly had trouble getting out of the patrol vehicle, stumbled and struggled with walking straight.

The trooper asked him to perform several field sobriety tests, but Lefevre allegedly failed to do because of his extreme intoxication.

After having his rights read to him, Lefevre allegedly agreed to give a blood draw. It was sent to the Montana State Crime Lab.

After returning to the jail, Lefevre was read his rights again and allegedly agreed to speak with a trooper. The accused said he had consumed alcohol and was the only driver of the truck.

When asked if his ability to safely operate the vehicle was diminished by his alcohol consumption, Lefevre allegedly laughed and said “who would say that it wouldn’t affect the ability to drive.”

According to the complaint, Lefevre’s demeanor changed during the interview, ranging from talkative and concerned about his cellphone, to laughing, to using profanity, to falling asleep and snoring.

Lefevre also allegedly said he “(profanity) up and should not have been driving.”

Meier was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center where he died of his injuries.

Lefevre is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Thursday, July 9, in front of District Judge Amy Eddy,

Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or shindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.