KALISPELL, Mont. — A Flathead woman was sentenced Tuesday in Flathead County District Court after a deadly drunk driving crash on New Year's Day 2025 that killed one person.
Kala Knaus was sentenced to 20 years at the Montana State Women's Prison, with 10 years suspended. She will receive credit for 140 days already served.
The court also ordered Knaus to pay $12,537 in restitution to the victim's mother.
During Tuesday's sentencing, six victim impact statements were presented by the prosecution, though none of those individuals chose to appear on camera.
On the defense side, Knaus' attorney acknowledged that friends and family wished to speak on her behalf, but submitted written statements to the court.
Knaus addressed the court in tears, apologizing to the victim's family and friends. She said she had read the impact statements and accepted full responsibility for her actions.
According to court documents, just before 1:30 a.m. on January 1, 2025, dispatch received both a crash notification and a 911 call reporting a two-vehicle head-on collision on Highway 35 near Holt Drive.
A responding trooper arrived on scene just before 1:45 a.m. and found a red Kia resting on its driver's side about 10 feet off the highway. Inside, a woman was discovered deceased and still buckled into the driver's seat.
The trooper also located a Subaru on its wheels approximately 20 feet from the roadway and about 100 feet from the Kia.