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Man pleads guilty to role in fatal drag race

Story Created: Sep 8, 2010 at 9:00 PM MST

Story Updated: Sep 9, 2010 at 10:00 AM MST

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A 23-year-old Missoula man has struck a deal and pleaded guilty to his role in a drag race that killed one man and injured four other people near Turah.

Matthew T. Chase appeared in District Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to felony criminal endangerment and to misdemeanor charges of being a habitual traffic offender and having no liability insurance. The plea bargain calls for a 10-year commitment to the state Department of Corrections, with five years suspended. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 15.

Chase faced seven felonies, including criminal endangerment, evidence tampering and leaving the scene of the Aug. 5, 2008, crash that killed 25-year-old Jacob Bailey of Clinton and put a woman in a coma.

On the morning of the wreck, investigators say they found Bailey slumped over the driver's seat of his car. A 19-year-old woman was unconscious in the back seat, and another man was lying on the ground outside of the car. Two teenage girls also were injured.

The teens told investigators they were drag racing Chase when Bailey lost control of his car.

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Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com

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