Hundreds Arrested In DWI Campaign

Jake Judd | Nov 27, 2018 AT 6:55 pm

Click to Enlarge Photo: KNSI News

(KNSI) - The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says drunk drivers made it a dangerous Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend on the state's roads.

Mike Hanson is the state's Director of the Office of Traffic Safety and says there was 54 alcohol related crashes from November 21st to the 25th and some were deadly.

"There were four fatal crashes that occurred during this holiday period, three of those four, 75-percent, involved an alcohol impaired driver. Those are three deaths that absolutely didn't have to happen and are 100-percent preventable."

Law enforcement agencies from across the state made 480 DWI arrests during an extra DWI enforcement campaign over the Holiday. That's ten fewer than last year but more than the 448 arrests in 2016 and the 468 arrests in 2015.

Hanson says everyone needs to help prevent drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel.

"If we see someone about to make a bad decision, we need to step in and do something, it's a matter of life and death, literally."

He says people need to plan how they'll get home before they drink and with all the options for getting a ride, including ride sharing apps, there's no excuse for getting a DWI.

Read about some of the most egregious DWI arrests:

Crystal Police: A 26-year-old woman was arrested for DWI after running a red light and almost hitting a squad car.

Deer River: Police were called to a home for a report of a vehicle parked in a driveway with someone inside flashing the headlights on and off. The 37-year-old driver blew a .34 blood alcohol content (BAC), had an open bottle and a mixed drink located in the vehicle.

Eden Prairie: A 17-year-old male was arrested in a church parking lot for DWI after blowing a .11 BAC. Four passengers were also detained with two 18-year-olds cited for consuming alcohol and possession of illegal drugs. Three of the four passengers were about to get into their own vehicles to drive.

A 21-year-old was arrested after blowing a .13 BAC. She was driving (without a license) because her passenger was “too drunk” to drive.

Shakopee: A 32-year-old woman blew a .27 BAC with a 3-year-old child in the vehicle. It was her third DWI in 10 years.

South St. Paul: A 35-year-old man was arrested for DWI after blowing a .12 BAC. His five kids and his wife were in the vehicle.

St. Paul: A 40-year old man who was going 78 in a 30-mph zone blew a .14 BAC. The driver said he was showing off for his kids. The driver had a prior DWI in 2016. Two of the three kids were his (10 and 15). The third child, a 14-year-old, was a friend they were driving home. The mother was called to the scene to pick up her child.

Minnesota State Patrol:

A driver was arrested for possession of meth with a child in the vehicle. The driver had five prior DWIs.

A trooper who stopped a vehicle for a headlight out discovered a 33-year-old female smoking marijuana with her 17-year-old nephew and his 17-year-old girlfriend moments before the vehicle was pulled over. The driver admitted to using meth 48 hours prior to the arrest.

A trooper arrested a 22-year-old for DWI after he blew a .15 BAC. The driver was giving three passengers a ride home from the bar.

A 61-year-old man was arrested for blowing a .34 BAC. He had a child in the car. The trooper indicated it was the first time they had to call an ambulance and bring a person to a hospital for intoxication only. The driver wasn’t able to get out of his vehicle, stand, walk or get into the squad without being mostly carried by the trooper and a deputy.





Posted By Jake Judd Anchor/Reporter Jake Judd was born and raised in Anoka Minnesota where he attended high school. He attended Brown College where he graduated with a degree in broadcasting. Jake’s radio career includes news at KCII in Washington Iowa and news at KRCQ and KDLM in Detroit Lakes Minnesota.