BOZEMAN – A Bozeman woman with a reported 20-year criminal history of drunken driving who allegedly almost drove head-on into another car on Monday was charged with her fourth DUI in Gallatin County Justice Court.
A check of Emma Jean Whiteman, 54, driving history showed she had five prior convictions for DUI in 1999, 2001, twice in 2006 and one in 2011.
Whiteman was arrested following a report at approximately 7:54 p.m. on Monday of a driver headed east on Frontage Road from Springhill Road. The caller told dispatchers that the driver had been swerving and almost drove head-on with another vehicle. A Bozeman police officer saw Whiteman’s vehicle almost hit the median at the I-90 and North Seventh Avenue interchange and observed it drastically swerving.
When the officer stopped Whiteman, she had watery and bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage came from the vehicle. Whiteman’s speech was reportedly slow and extremely slurred. She was unable to safely perform field sobriety tests and was unable to keep her balance due to her intoxication level. Whiteman refused to provide a voluntary blood sample, but after a search warrant was obtained, a sample was taken from her.
Whiteman’s bail was set at $7,500 and she is required to be monitored 24/7. Per court order, she cannot leave the state, have alcohol or go anywhere where alcohol is the primary product for sale. Whiteman’s next court appearance is set for May 17.
Story by Cody Boyer, MTN News
