A Heart Butte man has admitted to causing a fatal accident on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich. Chasen James Kipp, 25, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and faces up to eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case. The court will decide on Kipp's sentence after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors. Sentencing is scheduled for April 23, 2025. Meanwhile, Kipp has been released pending further proceedings.
Court documents reveal that on October 31, 2023, Kipp was driving a 2022 Dodge Charger near Cut Bank airport when he crossed the center line and collided with another vehicle on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The driver of the sedan, identified as Jane Doe, was killed in the crash.
Law enforcement officials who responded noted that Kipp appeared intoxicated and smelled of alcohol. A toxicology report confirmed that his blood alcohol concentration was .114 and he had cocaine in his system at the time of the incident. Investigators found that Kipp was traveling at 82 mph in a zone where the speed limit was 65 mph when he struck Doe’s vehicle.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigations conducted by Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Cut Bank Police Department, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, and FBI.