From the Courts - District Court: Sutherland sentenced to three years probatio

A local man was given in state District Court in Havre three years probation and a chance to have a felony charge struck from his record and ordered to pay restitution after he previously pleaded guilty in a plea agreement to two of several charges.

Treyton Reed Sutherland was charged April 18, 2019, after fleeing from law enforcement officers after a store in Box Elder reported he had stolen a package of Twisted Tea, ending up crashing his vehicle in a field. He was charged with felony counts of criminal mischief and theft and misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, reckless driving, fleeing or eluding a peace officer and theft.

In December, he pleaded guilty to the felony criminal mischief charge and the misdemeanor DUI.

Last Wednesday, District Judge Kaydee Snipes Ruiz imposed a three-year deferred imposition of sentence on the felony, ordered Sutherland to pay a $50 presentence investigation fee and pay $4,285.20 in restitution to the Montana School Group Insurance Authority and $500 to Box Elder schools, plus a 10 percent fee on the restitution.

On the misdemeanor, Snipes Ruiz sentenced Sutherland to six months in the county jail with all but 53 days served suspended, and ordered him to pay a $600 fine, which would be suspended on his completion of a treatment program.

If Sutherland abides by all of his conditions of release during the three-year sentence, he can petition to have the felony charge struck from his record.