Not to rehash the Moab stop, but the confusion over Brians cell phone is easily resolved.Brian was relating to the officer his worries in that moment. That moment being their fight on the sidewalk that was reported.
He was afraid Gabby would take off leaving him no transpo or phone, it being in the van. He was not trying to say he didn't have a phone at all. Or now in the present.
It seemed clear to me from the Moab video, not sure why so many were confused that he was speaking in the past tense.
But he did tell the officer that he "had no phone", only to pull his phone out of his pocket a few minutes later.