A couple months ago on the blog, we shared a story about how Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. At the end of a recent virtual city council meeting, Maguire spoke about the incident and took responsibility for his actions while also noting that the Vikings may have played a role in his poor decision making that day.
If you don’t want to click over to the other blog, we’ll catch you up on the incident quickly. Maguire was arrested after police responded to a call about a driver stuck in a snowbank in an Eagan neighborhood. When police arrived, they found Maguire behind the wheel. After a short interaction, they suspected he may be under the influence of alcohol. A test of his blood-alcohol level revealed that he had a BAC of 0.19, more than twice the legal limit.
During the virtual city council meeting, Maguire provided a little more insight about the incident. He said that he was drinking while watching the Vikings playoff game, which ended in a loss to the San Francisco 49ers. After the conclusion of the game, he made “an exceedingly poor decision to drive” and had to spend the night in jail.
“I’m embarrassed. I’m extremely grateful that no one was hurt as a result of my actions, and very disappointed in myself,” he said. “Not only did I disappoint myself, I disappointed my family, my 17-year-old, my colleagues and many people in the community who rightfully expect more from me. For that, I am truly sorry and I apologize.”
His next scheduled court date is on Wednesday, but he also noted in the conference call that he pleaded guilty and is “accepting, without objection, the consequences of my mistake.”
Given the nature of the incident, it seems likely that Maguire will have some driving restrictions for at least a few months, be required to pay a fine, and will likely be told to attend an alcohol education course. These are some of the standard punishments for a first-time DUI, and given the fact that he does seem truly remorseful about the incident and willing to change his behavior going forward, odds are he won’t see any more jail time. Hopefully he’s learned from his mistakes and can move forward with his life.
If you find yourself in a similar situation and need legal assistance, reach out to the experienced lawyers at Appelman Law Firm today.
