The Montana Bar Fairies create a Bozeman chapter to encourage impaired driving awareness

In 2023, there were 132 impaired-driving-related fatalities on Montana’s roads, according to the Montana Department of Transportation's. Robert “Bobby” Dewbre was among those killed when he was hit by a drunk driver while crossing the road. His death inspired grassroots action across the state and led to the formation of the Montana Bar Fairies (MBF). 

The MBF was founded in 2023 as a community-driven nonprofit working to lower the rate of drunk driving in Montana. Bobby’s mother, Beth Dewbre, and his sister, Carli Seymour, started the organization to support those who have lost loved ones to drunk driving and advocate for stronger Driving Under the Influence (DUI) laws, according to its website. 

Montana has the highest rate of drunk driving in the country, according to a 2025 study by Forbes. Additionally, 26.8 percent of people in Gallatin County are excessive drinkers, making the county the drunkest in the nation,according to the latest datasets from the CDC. 

“I think the most impactful part is knowing that we're creating an opportunity for change and that it's a real opportunity,” said MBF volunteer and MSU sophomore Patricia Hinchey. Hinchey started volunteering with the MBF in Kalispell after her brother had a coffee card left on his windshield following a night out. Afterwards, Hinchey expressed her interest to MBF organizers in starting a Bozeman chapter.

“We're not just spreading gratitude and handing out these cards, we're raising awareness with the hope of shifting the culture around drinking and driving,” she said.

She emphasized that the organization is not looking down on people who like to go out. Instead, its goal is to encourage those out at the bars to find a sober ride. Volunteers leave five-dollar coffee gift cards on cars parked overnight at bars. The backside of each card features the story of a victim who was killed in an alcohol-related accident. 

“With these cards, if we can make even one person stop and think twice before getting behind the wheel after having a fun night, we've saved a life,” Hinchey said.

Under current Montana law, a high blood alcohol content (BAC) is not considered criminally negligent, according to the MBF website.HB 267 — or Bobby’s Law — was sponsored by Representative Braxton Mitchell from Columbia Falls and introduced on Jan. 21, 2025 in response to Bobby’s death. 

Bobby was crossing the street on the night of his twenty-first birthday on March 11, 2023, when he was struck and killed by a man with a BAC of .20 percent — two and a half times the legal limit. Because Bobby was not in a crosswalk when he was struck, the driver’s BAC alone was not enough to convict him of vehicular manslaughter. The driver was instead charged with Carelessness Resulting in Bodily Injury or Death and Aggravated Driving Under the Influence, resulting in a maximum sentence of 18 months, according tothe MBF website. 

HB 267 seeks to recognize a BAC of 0.16 or over as criminally negligent and establishes the crime of aggravated vehicular homicide with a minimum sentence of three years. 

Beth reflected on her experience at the House and Senate hearings for HB 267. “People came who were just followers of the [MBF]. That just told me, you know what? Montana cares. We are not proud to hold the title of the most DUI fatalities in the U.S. We're done with it,” Beth said.  

Bobby’s Law was passed by the Montana House with a 94-6 vote on March 24. On April 9, it passed its second reading in the Senate 45-5, according to the Montana Legislative Services. As of April 9, the bill has been referred to the Senate Standing Committee Finance and Claims.  

Beth remarked on Bobby’s life, remembering him as a charismatic, fun and fearless person. He was a ski lift operator on Big Mountain and would have graduated from Flathead Valley Community College in May of 2023.

“Nobody thinks it will happen to them. Nobody thinks that they will kill somebody drunk driving,” Beth said. “And no one really thinks that a drunk driver is going to impact their family, whether hitting them or hitting someone they love, because we would live in fear, right? People are more afraid of being eaten by a bear or a mountain lion or moose in Montana when the reality is, you are more likely to be killed by a drunk driver.” 

To get involved with the Bozeman chapter of the MBF, visit its website https://www.montanabarfairies.org/or its Instagram @MontanaBarFairies.

If you or your family have been impacted by drunk driving, the MBF would like to add your story to their coffee cards to honor and remember those who have lost their lives in Gallatin County. To submit a story, fill out the form on the MBF website,  https://www.montanabarfairies.org/volunteer.