Man crashes into hotel sign, arrested on aggravated DUI

A Havre man was arrested early today on accusation he drunkenly drove into the sign of a local hotel.

Four callers reported to police today at 12:53 a.m. that someone had driven into the Budget Inn Motel sign in Havre, Police Chief Gabe Matosich said. The suspect, Ian Blaine McCarty, fled the scene by the time police arrived, Matosich said.

Police later found McCarty in the alley of the 1000 Block of First Street and arrested him. He was taken to the Hill County Detention Center where he is being held on a $2,800 bond.

McCarty, 38, was arrested on charges of aggravated driving under the influence; disorderly conduct; careless driving; driving without insurance, second offense; operating a vehicle without valid registration, and failure to notify owner of damage to property.

Matosich said he did not know the costs of the damage.

"There was heavy, extensive front-end damage as (the vehicle) was wedged between the signposts and the cement blocks," Matosich said.

No one from the hotel returned a call requesting information on the damage.

McCarty was arrested four times in 2015, including for a count of violating conditions of release related to a 24/7 Sobriety Program violation in November and on charges of assault with a weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia, assault of a minor, criminal contempt and criminal mischief in August.