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Woman sentenced to 20 years for causing fatal crash

JEFF SMITH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 3 weeks AGO
by JEFF SMITH
Jeff Smith is news director for Anderson Broadcasting and a contributor to the Lake County Leader. | June 18, 2026 12:00 AM

A Polson woman, who admitted to causing a fatal vehicle crash in July of 2025, was sentenced in District Court in Polson June 10 to the Montana State Women’s Prison for 20 years with 15 suspended.

Elizabeth Charlotte Hill, 23, entered a plea of guilty in District Court in Polson Feb. 18 to the amended charge of negligent homicide. The sentence, handed down by Judge Molly Owen, was in accordance with the plea agreement.

Hill was initially charged with vehicular homicide while under the influence.

According to charging documents, early in the morning on July 26, 2025, a woman called 911 to report she was involved in a crash. She indicated one of her passengers was thrown from the vehicle before she ran over him.

Law enforcement located her general area by tracing her cellphone and responded to the Swartz Lake area, east of Ronan. They located a vehicle off the embankment.

Hill was located in the front of the vehicle. The body of a 16-year-old boy, later identified as Keykem Lozeau of Ronan, was found on the ground of the passenger side of the vehicle. His head was under the running board and he showed no signs of life.

The charging documents indicate two other juveniles and an adult were in the vehicle at the time of the crash. One of them told investigators that the group had gone swimming in Polson, then headed to Twin Lakes.

He went on to state that Hill was driving “crazy, speeding and swerving” prior to the vehicle rolling. Hill admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the crash.

Judge Owen gave Hill credit for having already served 32 days in jail.

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