A few weeks ago, we announced that Minnesota police were planning to conduct and end-of-summer DUI crackdown across the state. The campaign was set to run from Aug. 14 through Sept. 7, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety recently released statistics from the crackdown. Unfortunately, many Minnesotans didn’t heed our warning.
According to the statistics, more than 1,600 drivers were arrested during the DUI campaign. A total of 312 participating agencies arrested 1,649 drivers for driving while impaired. That equates to 170 more arrests than the 2019 campaign, which is a little surprising considering the current COVID landscape.
Police also tracked the number of “Move Over” citations on August 31, which was 20 fewer than each of the past two years. This year marked the 20th anniversary of Corporal Ted Foss’ death, which led to Minnesota adopting the Ted Foss Move Over Law.
Notable DUI Arrests
Along with the numbers, the Minnesota Department of Safety also shares some information about a few of the notable DUI arrests. Here’s a look at some of the more noteworthy DUI arrests that occurred during the crackdown:
- Cottage Grove police arrested a driver with a BAC of 0.14 with a 13-year-old and a 1-year-old in the car.
- In Douglas County, a father and son were arrested for DWI in the same night. Both individuals had their vehicles seized by police.
- An Eden Prairie woman was arrested at 5 a.m. on her way to work with a BAC of 0.26.
- Maple Grove police arrested the same woman for DWI twice in the same day. The first time was around 10 a.m. and the second was around 5 p.m after police received a complaint from a liquor store.
- A wrong way driver in Douglas County nearly hit a police officer head-on before being arrested for DWI.
- A driver was pulled over for going 91 mph, and a breathalyzer showed they had a BAC of 0.21.
- A driver in New Brighton was arrested for going over 100 mph with a BAC of 0.15.
- A woman who was heavily impaired by prescription medications was stopped en route to Bemidji from North Dakota.
- The highest registered BAC during the crackdown was from a driver that blew a 0.38.
- Eden Prairie police led the Twin Cities metro area with 38 DWI arrests during the campaign.
Despite the influx of arrests during the crackdown, overall DUI numbers are down in 2020. So far, 16,467 drivers have been arrested for DWI in Minnesota. That’s down from 19,841 throughout the same period in 2019, but COVID has played a role in that decline, as many bars and restaurants that would normally serve alcohol were closed for an extended period of time.
If you or someone you know is facing charges after a DUI in Minnesota, know that the penalties are steep and you should consider contesting the charges in court with a lawyer by your side. To learn more about your legal options, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today.
