BOZEMAN — Law enforcement arrested two men in separate incidents within two days of each other, each accused of driving the wrong way while intoxicated in Gallatin County.
Charging documents say 51-year-old Dylan Paul Pinet was stopped by Bozeman Police on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 after a witness said Pinet almost struck her head-on near W. Kagy and 3rd Avenue.
The witness said she was driving southbound on South 3rd Ave. when she saw Pinet driving north in her lane of travel, nearly crashing into her.
According to charging documents, police located Pinet at 11th and College Street and followed him as he turned south on 8th Avenue, displaying signs of impaired driving. Officers stopped Pinet and said he spoke with slurred speech and had “extremely” delayed reactions to questions.
Pinet allegedly did not pass standard field sobriety tests, indicating impairment due to alcohol or drugs. A breath test reportedly showed his blood alcohol concentration to be .000.
Charging documents state that Pinet has three prior convictions for DUI from 2014, 2018, and 2020. He is facing a felony charge of driving under the influence, fourth or subsequent offense.
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Charging documents say the Montana Highway Patrol arrested Hector Sanchez Mendez around 11:30 p.m. Saturday night, Nov. 23, after multiple people reported him driving the wrong way on I-90.
The reporting trooper said in charging documents that law enforcement shut down the interstate and blocked both Belgrade on-ramps after receiving several reports of a driver traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes.
According to the trooper, he located Mendez, 22, around mile marker 294 and began weaving with his emergency lights activated to slow down Mendez’s vehicle. Mendez reportedly came to a stop head-to-head with the trooper’s vehicle.
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Charging documents say the occupants of the vehicle were held at gunpoint until they were detained. Mendez allegedly showed signs of impairment and did not pass standard field sobriety tests.
The trooper said Mendez refused to provide a breath or blood sample. The trooper obtained a warrant for the blood draw, which was taken at Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center. Mendez was then taken to the Gallatin County Detention Center.
Mendez faces six counts of criminal endangerment, along with other charges, for the six identified victims who reported him as a wrong-way driver.
Both men were due to appear in Gallatin County Justice Court on Monday morning, Nov. 25, 2024.
