Friend playing ‘joke’ on man accidentally kills him in car crash, Montana officials say

A man was arrested after a “joke” he was trying to play on his friend in Montana went horribly wrong, officials said.

The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol responded on April 5 to a parking lot after a man was “allegedly spinning circles in the parking lot” and struck someone, pinning them between two vehicles, according to the Missoulian.

Gregg Andrew Hancock, 49, told officials he started driving his car toward his friend after deciding “to mess with him,” according to NBC Montana. He later told officials he had been drinking before the accident happened.

Hancock hit the brakes and the car started to slide into the victim, pinning him between two cars, according to KTVQ.

Witnesses attempted CPR but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Missoulian.

In an affidavit obtained by NBC Montana, officials saw “beer cans scattered around the scene” and that the smell of alcohol was coming from the group.

Hancock was investigated for a DUI and was charged with vehicular homicide by the Missoula County Attorney’s Office, according to KTVQ.

He was released from jail on a $100,000 bond and faces 30 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine if convicted, according to the Missoulian.

Missoula is about 115 miles northwest of Helena.

This story was originally published April 11, 2023 at 3:47 PM with the headline "Friend playing ‘joke’ on man accidentally kills him in car crash, Montana officials say."