Montana man charged with killing man trying to prevent DUI

CHOTEAU (AP) — A Montana man is charged with killing another man who tried to prevent him from driving while intoxicated after a party at the victim's house near Fairfield, Teton County officials said.

Erin Elliott Holcomb of Sun River pleaded not guilty Monday to deliberate homicide in the death of Trysten Fellers, 22, of Fairfield. Holcomb's bail was set at $100,000. He has not yet been appointed a public defender, court officials said.

Fellers was trying to get Holcomb to accept a ride home early Friday after several people became highly intoxicated at a gathering of friends at Fellers' house, court records said.

Holcomb, however, would not get out of the driver's seat of a pickup truck. Fellers called his father, who lives nearby, for help. The confrontation between Fellers and Holcomb ended with Fellers being shot in the neck.

Earl "Sonny" Fellers told deputies that he heard the gunshot and as he ran toward his son he passed Holcomb who was on his phone saying: "I just shot somebody, come and get me," court records said.

Holcomb tried to drive a farm truck away from the scene, but it got stuck in the mud, prosecutors said. Holcomb was arrested. He declined to give a statement to investigators, court records said.