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Mug shots most often capture people at their lowest moment. Anyone that ends up in the unfortunate situation of having their mug shot taken would most likely not want the photos to be spread around for thousands of other people to see. However, there are now several websites that use booking photos or mug shots to make a profit. Here’s how it works: Website staff members comb through police releases and post peoples’ mug shots, often under the guise of being virtuous and anti-crime. If a person wants their mug shot removed from the site, they’ll have to pay up.
An 18-year-old man from Thief River Falls has been accused of stealing a Cessna 150 and taking it on several joyrides. The man faces a felony conviction for motor vehicle theft, as well as a misdemeanor charge for using an aircraft without authorization. The teen does not have a pilot’s license, but he was able to fly the single-engine plane to different cities in northern Minnesota and North Dakota. The stolen aircraft belongs to an Air Force major that is currently stationed in Afghanistan.
According to the Associated Press, Minnesota’s Department of Transportation monitors over 500 cameras to observe traffic throughout the state, with most focusing on the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. More and more, the Minnesota State Highway Patrol is relying on this network of traffic cameras and citizens reporting drunk drivers on the road.
Minnesota is known throughout the country as a tough state on drunk drivers; a conviction for driving while intoxicated can carry very stiff consequences in the North Star State. As of July 1, 2011, new additions to Minnesota’s DWI laws have expanded the range of sentencing options, especially for second and subsequent offenses and DUIs committed with a high alcohol content (AC).
It is common knowledge that Minnesota takes a hard line approach to drunk driving penalties: even first-time offenders can face substantial jail time, fines of up to $3,000 and a heavy smattering of license-related fees once they try to reinstate their driver’s license after a period of suspension. Repeat DWI offenders are raked over the coals to an even higher degree.
For years, the machine primarily used to detect breath alcohol content in Minnesota was the Intoxilyzer 5000. However, numerous errors became evident in the Intoxilyzer 5000’s source code (the internal computer code upon which the device is completely reliant). Now, law enforcement authorities are moving away from the Intoxilyzer 5000 — but many DWI cases have nonetheless been left in limbo, and alternative alcohol testing methods, such as urine testing for DWIs, have also failed to withstand scientific scrutiny.
July 2012 marks the one-year anniversary of Minnesota’s DWI ignition interlock program. An ignition interlock is a device affixed to a vehicle that will not allow it to start unless the driver provides a breath sample and his or her blood alcohol level registers below a preset limit (in Minnesota, .02, the equivalent of about one drink). Ignition interlocks also require drivers to provide periodic breath samples while operating their vehicles.
The colder season is filled with holiday festivities. It is tradition for Minnesotans to partake in the merriment of Thanksgiving get-togethers, Christmas parties and New Year’s Eve celebrations. The holidays are a time to reunite with old friends and family. However, along with many of these festivities comes the spirit of overindulgence: plenty of gifts, an assortment of rich foods and, in many instances, one too many alcoholic beverages.
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