Montana Man gets 50 years for 11th drunken driving offense

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A 49-year-old Helena man who has been convicted of 11 drunken driving offenses has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. The Independent Record reported District Judge Kathy Seeley sentenced Shawn Kevin Smaage on Thursday, saying he would have to serve at least 25 years. Court records say Smaage was convicted of driving under the influence three times while he was a juvenile and five times as an adult, along with felony criminal endangerment in a 1994 drunken driving case and negligent homicide for a 1988 crash in which a 15-year-old Helena girl was killed. Smaage was on parole in December 2013 when he was arrested on his latest DUI. Smaage asked the court for help, saying he didn't want to hurt himself or anyone else. Seeley said she didn't see any chance for rehabilitation. Published: Tue, Jan 27, 2015