Last October, this blog reported a story involving an alleged drunk driving case that included allegations that a Northern Minnesota man assaulted a state trooper with her own Taser. Law enforcement had alleged that the Akeley, Minnesota, man had grabbed the trooper’s Taser when she was placing handcuffs on the man arrest his arrest for driving while impaired.
The alleged events that occurred during the DWI traffic stop eventually exposed the defendant to a string of felony charges, over and above the gross misdemeanor DWI charges the man was facing when he was arrested. The man was charged with gross misdemeanor DWI, based upon a prior DWI conviction. The defendant pled not guilty to more than a dozen charges, including nine counts of assault on a police officer and a felony fleeing police charge.
In late January, the case went before a jury. Prosecutors introduced a dash cam video recording of the traffic stop, which reportedly showed a scuffle over the trooper’s Taser, but the trooper and defendant apparently disappeared from view during the alleged scuffle.
At the end of trial, public records show that the jury acquitted the defendant of several of the criminal charges filed against the man. However, the jury found the defendant guilty of a series of offenses, including several felony counts brought against the man. The jury also found the defendant guilty of gross misdemeanor DWI and gross misdemeanor obstruction, according to public records.
WCCO television reports that the man has been sentenced to 44 months in state prison.
Source: WCCO-TV Channel 4, “Drunk Driver Who Beat Trooper With Taser Gets 44 Months In Prison,” Rachel Slavik, May 17, 2012
