Sidney pastor pleads not guilty to DUI and weapons charges

Controversial Sidney Pastor Jordan Hall has pleaded not guilty to DUI and weapons charges arising from a May 11 traffic stop.

Hall, 40, was arrested in Sidney around 11 p.m. on May 11, and, according to a complaint, he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, carrying a concealed weapon while under the influence of drugs, and multiple traffic violations — all misdemeanors. He was issued a $585 fine.

The Sidney Herald first reported the news of Hall’s arrest.

Hall pleaded not guilty to the charges on May 12 and has an omnibus hearing scheduled for July 19th.

According to the complaint, Hall was “moving/speaking slowly, his eyes were lowering slowly and deliberately, he had slurred/mumbled speech at times, his eyes were watery, he stumbled and had poor balance.” Hall was also given a field sobriety test and performed poorly, but a blood alcohol test did not register any alcohol in his system, according to the complaint.

On Monday, Hall denied that he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol and told the Daily Montanan the symptoms noticed by police were caused by a lack of vitamin D.

“They found no alcohol in my system because I was not using alcohol or any other kind of illegal narcotic or recreational drug,” Hall said. “I was experiencing a known and medically documented severe vitamin D deficiency.” Hall declined to provide medical records regarding the condition but directed the Daily Montanan to a blog post he had written roughly one month earlier that referenced a vitamin deficiency.

As a result of the charges, Hall submitted his resignation as pastor of First Baptist Church in Sidney, but the resignation was denied, according to a statement from the church.

“The deacons and elders met yesterday and rejected his resignation in consultation with three well-respected and Godly pastors of other churches, as it was unanimously determined that, as no alcohol was used and Pastor Hall’s coordination/health issues have been well known, this unfortunate incident was not ministerially disqualifying,” the statement read.

It continued, “The council determined Pastor Hall was exhausted, potentially addicted to working, and must rest, do nothing for three months, and change his phone number (to not be bothered by outsiders).”

The complaint says Hall was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu on East Holly Street when he crossed into the bicycle lane on West Holly Street initiating the stop. During the arrest, police found a Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 Shield handgun under his coat in an inside-the-waistband holster on Hall’s right side.

Hall is also the founder and publisher of the Montana Daily Gazette. Hall and his publishing group are currently being sued by Adrian Jawort, a transgender Native lobbyist who alleges that an article about her in the Montana Daily Gazette damaged her reputation. Hall also filed for bankruptcy in February, just 24 hours before a sanctions hearing in his lawsuit with Jawort.