Marion Man Pleads Not Guilty in Vehicle Crash that Killed Bigfork Teen
Andrew Glenn Sullivan, 20, posted a $250,000 property bond following the fatal wreck. His latest charge comes after a pair of reckless driving offenses earlier this summer.
By Maggie Dresser
A 20-year-old Marion man who allegedly crashed his pickup truck outside of Whitefish and caused the death of a 17-year-old passenger last month pleaded not guilty Thursday to a felony count of negligent homicide.
Andrew Glenn Sullivan entered the plea during a Sept. 4 hearing in Flathead County District Court before Judge Heidi Ulbricht.
Sullivan posted a $250,000 property bond and was released from the Flathead County Detention Center on Aug. 29. He is scheduled to stand trial on March 9, 2026, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in the Montana State Prison and a maximum fine of $50,000.
According to Sullivan’s conditions of release, he must reside at his Marion residence, he cannot operate any type of motor vehicle, and he is prohibited from consuming alcohol and drugs, which includes marijuana. He is also prohibited from contacting alleged victims and he must wear a SCRAM device.
The fatal wreck occurred less than a week after the defendant was sentenced in a separate case for driving under the influence of alcohol, and comes just months after authorities cited him for leaving the scene of an accident after he drove into Bitterroot Lake.
According to an affidavit filed by Deputy Flathead County Attorney Larissa Malloy, prosecutors allege Sullivan caused the death of a 17-year-old female passenger after crashing his Dodge Ram down an embankment and striking two trees on Aug. 23 at approximately 1:53 a.m.
A Montana State Trooper arrived on the scene at Mountain Meadow Road and Tally Lake Road near Whitefish after 2 a.m. and found the truck with heavy passenger-side damage. Upon the trooper’s arrival, the deceased teenager, as well as Sullivan and another male, were lying on the ground.
Sullivan told authorities he became distracted while he was driving when the female in the backseat fainted and the other 17-year-old passenger started “freaking out.” He estimated he was driving 30 miles per hour at the time of the crash and denied consuming any alcohol or drugs. He admitted there was a party happening in the area and acknowledged there was a bottle of vodka in the backseat, according to court records; however, Sullivan told authorities he thought the alcohol was water.
In addition to the deceased female passenger, there were two other 17-year-old passengers in the pickup truck at the time of the crash, one of whom left the scene, records state.
As troopers inventoried the crash scene, they found empty containers of alcoholic beverages and a glass jar of marijuana, along with a bottle of vodka in the back seat, according to charging documents.
The trooper also noticed a large pool of blood on the ground outside of the pickup truck near the passenger side door, although there were no traces of blood inside the vehicle. Evidence showed the victim’s upper body was partially outside the truck before the crash while the vehicle was still in motion. Emergency personnel concluded that she suffered a broken neck during the crash.
Based on evidence collected by the trooper, he concluded the victim made contact with the first tree the vehicle sideswiped, and did not sustain injuries from inside the truck.
Sullivan originally stated everyone was wearing seatbelts, but then later admitted he was not wearing a seatbelt.
Sullivan consented to a preliminary breath test, which revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.057. He was transported to Logan Health, and he consented to a blood draw, which was sent to the Montana State Crime Lab for analysis.
In May 2025, Sullivan was cited by the Kalispell Police Department for a DUI and pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02%, which is the legal limit for drivers under 21 years of age. He was sentenced on Aug. 18.
Sullivan in June 2025 was cited for leaving the scene of an accident after losing control of his vehicle and driving into Bitterroot Lake. He forfeit his bond in that case and received an additional seatbelt citation during a separate incident later that month.