Category: DWI

Future of Minnesota Vikings linebacker cloudy after driving drunk

Erin Henderson, a linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings, has been arrested for the second time on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. On Wednesday, Jan. 1, the football player was taken into custody after crashing his vehicle into trees near a parking lot in Chanhassen. According to police reports, Henderson refused to take a sobriety test and now faces several charges for DWI as well as a charge for not taking the test. He also allegedly had drug paraphernalia and marijuana in his possession at the time of the arrest.

State Patrol Using Traffic Cams and Cell Phones to Catch Drunk Drivers

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.

New Drunk Driving Penalties for Minnesotans in 2011

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).

Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Repeat DWI Offenders in Minnesota

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.

Minnesota DWI Testing Still Questionable in Wake of Source Code Issues

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.

Minnesota Ignition Interlock Program Turns One, Highlights DWI Laws

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.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety Cracks Down on Holiday Drunk Driving

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.

With extra DWI enforcement, drivers should know their rights

According to figures from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety, roughly 160 drivers across the state were arrested. on May 10, 2013, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Roughly 80 of the arrests were made in the Twin Cities.

Senators Want DUI Applications Removed From Smartphones

In March, four Democratic U.S. Senators, Harry Reid, D-Utah, Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., and Tom Udall, D-N.M., drafted a letter requesting that Apple, Google and Research in Motion (or RIM) eliminate the applications (user-friendly computer programs for specific tasks) on mobile communication devices that warn drivers of the locations of drunk-driving checkpoints.