Arrest warrant issued for Helena man charged in deadly crash into East Helena home

An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for a Helena man accused of fleeing police while allegedly intoxicated and crashing his vehicle into an East Helena home, killing a 69-year-old woman inside and injuring her husband.

William Bart Stuart, who was 52 at the time he was charged, was supposed to appear in Lewis and Clark County District Court on Wednesday for a pre-trial conference he was required to attend, but he was a no-show at the afternoon hearing.

As a result, Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Michael McMahon issued a no-bond warrant for his arrest, which means once he is taken into custody he will remain incarcerated until appearing before a judge.

Stuart posted a $500,000 surety bond on Dec. 3. Under his conditions of release, he was required to wear a 24/7 alcohol monitoring device and was barred from entering bars, driving or leaving Lewis and Clark County, according to court documents.

He was was arraigned in December on charges of vehicular homicide while under the influence, negligent vehicular assault with serious bodily injury, criminal endangerment, and fleeing from a peace officer while operating a motor vehicle and causing death.

Lewis and Clark County prosecutor Daniel Baris said in court Wednesday he was "not surprised" Stuart failed to appear, adding that he had received information earlier that day that “indicated to [him] that he would not be coming to court today,” but he declined to elaborate. 

Baris said he believed issuing a warrant for Stuart's arrest would be appropriate based on that information. 

Stuart's defense attorney, Steven Scott, said he was "puzzled" by Stuart's absence and had no explanation for it.

Court documents state that Stuart fled a stop by a Montana Highway Patrol trooper late at night on Nov. 22 last year near Canyon Ferry Road. After allegedly reaching speeds of 115 mph in his Audi A7 during the chase, he allegedly crashed into a home near the intersection of Lake Helena Drive and East Main Street.

When the trooper arrived seconds after the crash, they found Stuart getting out of his vehicle and falling to the ground, according to court records.

A man and a woman were found inside a bathroom connected to the bedroom Stuart allegedly crashed into. The woman, identified as 69-year-old Terry Lamping, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 76-year-old man, Philip Lamping, was hospitalized with what police described as "extensive injuries." Authorities believe the two were pushed into the bathroom from the bedroom by the force of the impact.

A witness said they saw the vehicle "fly" into the home at an estimated 50 to 70 mph. According to Stuart's arrest affidavit, a person who had been with him in the vehicle before the chase began told officers they believed Stuart had consumed 14 or 15 drinks at Lakeside before driving.

Court records show Stuart has four prior DUI convictions, in 1996, 1997, 2003 and 2010. Online records indicate he owns the Wreck Room body shop on Helena's west side, which is currently for sale.

His jury trial was set to begin in August.

Stuart also faces a civil lawsuit filed in January by Philip Lamping and the estate of his late wife, seeking special, compensatory and punitive damages for the couple's injuries, pain and suffering, and Terry Lamping's death. It says Philip Lamping suffered a brain bleed, fractured vertebra and numerous other injuries in the crash.

The suit alleges liability on the part of the businesses for overserving Stuart, and on Stuart's part for the alleged drunken, high-speed crash into the Lampings' home.

Also named as defendants are Papa Ray's and its owner, Quin Sather — whom the lawsuit alleges was with Stuart that evening and exited the vehicle before Stuart continued fleeing — as well as Lakeside Bar and Grill and its owners at the time.

Sather, Papa Ray's, and Lakeside have all submitted answers denying responsibility for the crash, while most of Stuart's response invokes his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination while his criminal case remains pending.

A pre-trial conference in the civil case is currently set for April 2027.

A Missing and Endangered Persons Advisory notification was sent out by the Department of Justice on Wednesday for Stuart. He is listed in the Montana Missing Persons Database as of Thursday.