Man pleads guilty to DUI in Yellowstone

JACKSON (WNE) — A Bozeman, Montana, man cited in Yellowstone National Park earlier this month has been sentenced to jail time, probation and banned from the park.

He was charged with driving under the influence and other misdemeanors.

Andres D. Sanchez Yobal, 64, appeared by phone Sept. 19 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick.

Through a Spanish interpreter, Sanchez Yobal pled guilty to driving with a suspended license and operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content above 0.08%, the legal limit. Four other charges, including reckless driving and having an open container, were dismissed.

Judge Hambrick ordered Sanchez Yobal to serve 60 days in jail, giving him credit for 19 days already spent in custody. He will also serve five years of unsupervised probation for driving with a suspended license.

As part of his sentence, Sanchez Yobal is prohibited from entering Yellowstone National Park during his probation.

The court wiped all of Sanchez Yobal’s fines, including a $30 processing fee. A written judgment is expected to follow.

His sentencing follows three Yellowstone DUI convictions earlier in September.

DUI cases in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park fall under federal jurisdiction because the parks are managed by the National Park Service.

Unlike similar charges in state courts, penalties for federal DUI charges often include mandatory jail sentences, probation and bans from the parks themselves.

This story was published on Sept. 30, 2025.