Bozeman Uber Driver Accused of DUI With a Passenger in the Back Seat
A Gallatin County deputy pulled over a Toyota Corolla on Huffine Lane outside Bozeman at about 1:04 a.m. on February 26, 2025. The man in the back seat told the deputy he was an Uber passenger, according to the affidavit cited by the Belgrade News.
The driver, Brett Scott Nelson, 39, was accused of DUI and felony criminal endangerment. The Belgrade News described the DUI as a misdemeanor, and KXLF reported an aggravated DUI charge. Nelson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The traffic stop
The investigation began when a patrolling sheriff’s deputy saw the Corolla eastbound on Huffine Lane weaving within its lane, the affidavit states. The deputy reported that the car crossed over the center yellow line twice, crossed over a solid white line that divided the turn lanes, and traveled at 35 mph in a 55-mph zone.
The deputy stopped the car and identified the driver as Nelson, according to the affidavit. “As I spoke with the defendant I observed red watery eyes, slurred speech, the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from with the vehicle and the complete inability to divide his attention,” the affidavit reads. “Furthermore, I observed the defendant’s fine motor skills to be impaired.”
The passenger in the back seat
The deputy described the passenger as visibly nervous. The man said he had booked the ride through Uber.
“The deputy was able to safely remove the passenger and get them to a safe location,” KXLF reported.
Sobriety tests and arrest
Nelson began a field sobriety test but was unable to complete part of it “due to not following instructions” and, when instructed on another portion, “refused to perform the remaining tests,” according to the affidavit.
“A blood search warrant was executed on Nelson and he was jailed and later released,” the Belgrade News reported.
What Uber said
A company spokesperson told KXLF: “This report is extremely concerning. Uber has a zero-tolerance policy for any alcohol use on the app and as soon as we learned of this incident, we removed the driver’s access to the platform.”
Uber told KXLF that the passenger was refunded for the ride.
Sources
- Belgrade News, “Police: Drunk Uber driver endangered customer,” by Sean Batura, March 5, 2025
- KXLF, “Uber driver allegedly picks up passenger while DUI in Bozeman, prompting rideshare safety questions,” by Cassidy Powers, February 27, 2025
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