A motorist who allegedly abandoned his pickup truck in the middle of the intersection of Montana 35 and Montana 206 and relocated to an area casino for drinks earlier this month is facing a criminal endangerment charge.

Samuel Walter Rauser, 32, is expected to appear before Judge Amy Eddy in Flathead County District Court on Jan. 23 for his arraignment on the felony charge. Booked into the county jail after his Jan. 13 arrest, he was released on his own recognizance Jan. 17.

Montana Highway Patrol troopers began searching for Rauser after responding to reports of a pickup truck left facing the wrong direction in the intersection of the two state highways about 1:33 a.m., Jan. 13, according to court documents. The vehicles hazard lights were not in use, court documents said. 

Locating the pickup, troopers noted that it blocked four lanes of travel. It “created a massive safety hazard to other … vehicles,” wrote Deputy County Attorney Amy Kenison in an affidavit filed in district court. 

When authorities ran the license plate, Rauser came back as the owner, court documents said. 

Troopers called Rauser, who allegedly told them the pickup locked up and he had gone to a nearby casino. Authorities reported that Rauser appeared impaired, boasting slow, slurred and stuttering speech during the conversation, according to court documents. Troopers ordered Rauser back to the scene, but he allegedly never showed up. 

Authorities later found Rauser outside the casino’s bar, according to court documents. He allegedly said he got off work in Kalispell about 5:30 p.m., but left his job site several hours later and stopped at another nearby bar for food before ending up at the casino. 

A bartender at the casino recalled serving Rauser a drink about 11:40 p.m., court documents said.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].