Man gets life in prison for road-rage, trooper shootings

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A 31-year-old western Montana man who responded to a plume of diesel exhaust with a murderous rage has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Johnathan Bertsch of Arlee pleaded guilty in June to deliberate homicide and three counts of attempted deliberate homicide. His actions in March 2019 led to the deaths of two people and disabling injuries to two others. District Court Judge Shane Vannatta sentenced Bertch to four life sentences Wednesday in Missoula. Bertsch pleaded guilty to shooting at Casey Blanchard, his friend Shelly Hays and Blanchard’s mother Julie and then shooting a Montana Highway Patrol trooper who was searching for the shooting suspect.