SUBLETTE COUNTY – Natalie R. Pilon, who moved from Pinedale to Billings, Mont., to continue recovery in 2021 after deliberately driving her car into a semi truck with a fully loaded trailer, was sentenced to prison late last month.

Pilon was seriously injured, as was the logging truck’s driver, Cayle Flugel, on Oct. 30, 2021; both were life-flighted from the scene several miles west of Pinedale that closed Highway 191 while cranes moved full-length logs like pick-up sticks.

Another driver was slightly injured.

Pilon was charged with Counts I and II: felony intentional or reckless aggravated assault and battery and Counts III and IV: felony property destruction. Pilon was also charged with misdemeanors of driving with a visible cell phone screen and not wearing a seatbelt.

Pilon first pleaded not guilty, by reason of mental infirmity, in 9^th District Court and was initially represented by attorney John LaBuda and later by Rives White, now of Cody, after Judge LaBuda’s Circuit Court appointment.

An April 13 change-of-plea hearing was originally set as a pretrial conference for a May trial.

Former county deputy attorney Adrian Kowalski, White and Pilon reached a plea agreement that if Pilon pleaded no contest to Counts I and III, Kowalski could ask the judge to impose concurrent sentences of 8 to 10 years in prison but would not oppose White’s recommendations of youthful offender treatment and probation.

Sentencing

On June 26, White and Sublette County Deputy Attorney Damon DeBernardi argued their respective positions before 9^th District Court Judge Kate McKay.

The judge sentenced Pilon, out on bond since the collision, to an 8- to 10-year prison term for one count of felony aggravated assault and battery.

Judge McKay also sentenced Pilon to a concurrent 8- to 10-year prison term for felony property destruction.

The judge ordered Pilon to reimburse Koch Construction owner Aaron Koch for $130,925.80 toward his costs to replace the 2016 T880 Kenworth, valued at $125,000; the log trailer at $58,343.69, a lift axle for almost $8,000, 600 hours of truck refitting at $21,000 and estimated cleaning and towing at $8,775.

Koch’s insurance compensated him $90,064, according to DeBernardi, leaving the balance for Pilon’s restitution, according to court records.

Judge McKay dismissed Pilon’s second felony aggravated assault and battery charge and a second felony property destruction charge. After assessing fees and court costs, she ordered Pilon to make restitution totaling $131,050.80.