Driver’s License Reinstatement Denied for Marion Man Accused in Vehicle Crash that Killed Bigfork Teen

A Flathead County District Court judge has denied a request for a driver’s license reinstatement by Andrew Glenn Sullivan, a 21-year-old Marion man charged with a felony count of negligent homicide after allegedly crashing his pickup truck outside of Whitefish last August and causing the death of a 17-year-old passenger.

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 came just months after authorities cited him for leaving the scene of an accident after he drove into Bitterroot Lake.

In denying the motion, Judge Heidi Ulbricht on Feb. 19 ordered that Sullivan’s conditions of release remain the same, which includes residing at his Marion residence while he’s prohibited from operating any type of motor vehicle. He is also prohibited from consuming alcohol and drugs, he must wear a SCRAM device, and he cannot contact alleged victims.

Sullivan last year 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 Aug. 17, 2026, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in the Montana State Prison and a maximum fine of $50,000.

“The court just does not believe it has sufficient information to lift that condition allowing Mr. Sullivan to drive at this time,” Ulbricht said.

Defense attorney Sean Hinchey argued his client needed his driver’s license reinstated to return to work at his former seasonal construction job, which has not been possible because of the 30-mile commute from Marion.

“In Marion, it’s quite difficult for Andrew, both financially and frankly for his mental health to get out of the house, get working and get into treatment,” Hinchey said.

Sullivan’s mother, Rebecca Flores, testified during the hearing that he would likely return to his former job, but admitted the position was seasonal and his employer had not confirmed he would be re-hired. She also said that while her son had previously participated in chemical dependency counseling, he has not returned since he completed the required sessions.  

“He has a drinking problem, he has a DUI,” Deputy Flathead County Attorney Amy Kennison said. “His current allegation – alleging that he was under the influence while driving and someone ended up deceased … for the safety of the community and everyone involved, he should not be driving.”

According to charging documents, prosecutors allege Sullivan caused the death of a 17-year-old female 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 is being 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 (Sullivan was underage at the time). 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.

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