Columbia Falls man dies in snowmobile accident

KALISPELL (AP) -- A 45-year-old Columbia Falls man died Thursday afternoon in a snowmobile accident in a field near here, authorities said.

Flathead County sheriff's Sgt. Dave Leib said the man apparently tried to turn a corner too sharply and flipped the machine onto himself.

The man was not wearing a helmet and died of a head injury, Leib said.

His name wasn't released.

Applications sought to replace retiring judge

MISSOULA (AP) -- District Judge John Henson is retiring at the end of March and the Judicial Nomination Commission is accepting applications from attorneys interested in succeeding him, said Chief Justice Karla Gray of the Montana Supreme Court.

The application deadline is March 17.

The commission will forward the names of three to five candidates to Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who will appoint Henson's successor.

Ex-BNSF employee files suit against company

LIVINGSTON (AP) -- A former employee of the BNSF Railway has filed a lawsuit against the company after recent medical tests determined his lungs showed signs of damage from exposure to asbestos.

William Phillips filed the lawsuit on Feb. 9. He said he believes he developed asbestosis as a result of exposure to asbestos and other toxins while working as a locomotive mechanic in BNSF's Livingston yard. He worked for the company for just over 27 years.

Philips said asbestos was used for insulation in the roundhouse and back shop and in locomotives.

''It was everywhere,'' he said. ''We could order it right out of the storeroom. They were pretty loose with it,'' even though the bags were clearly marked as hazardous material, Phillips said.

Phillips said he had a nagging cough for years, but didn't undergo lung tests until some of his co-workers died from mesothelomia, a type of lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

Phillips is represented by Frederic Bremseth, a Minnesota attorney, who said, ''BN and the railroads have known for years that asbestos is a killer,'' yet adequate protections were never put in place to protect employees.

Gus Melonas, a spokesman for BNSF Railway, said the company doesn't comment on pending lawsuits.