UPDATE: Lakeville North Athletic Director Pleads Guilty to DWI

The original story has been updated to include information and a statement released by the Lakeville Area Public School District, and Bob Ertl.

The athletic and activities director at Lakeville North High School has pleaded guilty to drunken driving after he was arrested with a blood-alcohol content of .13 percent.

Robert Lorenz Ertl, 47, of Northfield, pleaded guilty Dec. 20 to gross-misdemeanor DWI. Dakota County District Judge Mary Theisen immediately sentenced him to one year in jail, stayed for two years, along with two years of supervised probation, 10 days of electronic home monitoring, $615 in fines and court fees and 240 hours of community service.

Ertl also was ordered to undergo a chemical evaluation and to abstain from alcohol and drugs. During his probation, he was ordered to have no driver’s license violations and no alcohol-related offenses.

According to a statement made by the Lakeville Area Public School District, Ertl informed Superintendent Dr. Lisa Snyder and Lakeville North Principal Marne Berkvam of the incident in June, shortly after it occurred.

"The Lakeville Schools’ administration fully supports Mr. Ertl and is confident that he will continue to provide positive leadership to our staff, students, and athletes," the statement said.

In the statement released by the district, Ertl said he's taking actions to get his life in order.

"I entered treatment seven months ago and have been sober since. I informed my supervisors about the issues when I began treatment and I am sorry and apologize to the district and the community for the negative impact this may have on our district," Ertl said.

According to the criminal complaint, a Lakeville police officer on routine patrol June 7 drove pastBabe’s Sports Bar three times, and each time saw a man sitting in the driver’s seat of a green Jeep in the bar’s parking lot.

At 11:30 p.m., the officer saw the Jeep make a “very slow” left turn from northbound Hughes Avenue onto 206th Street West. The driver, later identified as Ertl, came to a stop at a dead end, turned off the Jeep’s headlights and then turned them back on.

The officer pulled up behind Ertl’s Jeep and approached the vehicle. Ertl told him that he had stopped to make a phone call because he didn’t think he should be driving.

While he was speaking with Ertl, the officer smelled a “very strong odor” of alcohol, and noted that Ertl’s eyes were bloodshot and watery and his speech slurred. Ertl admitted that he had had “a few drinks” at Babe’s that evening.

Ertl was unable to perform field sobriety tests satisfactorily. He provided a sample for a preliminary breath test, which he also failed, according to the complaint.

Ertl was arrested and taken to the Lakeville police station, where he provided another sample for a breath test. Those results showed a blood-alcohol level of .13 percent 45 minutes after his arrest.

It wasn’t Ertl’s first drunken-driving arrest. In 2008, he was charged with DWI and careless driving, but under the terms of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty only to careless driving and was sentenced to one year of supervised probation and 40 hours of community service.

However, because that was a DWI-related offense, the latest charge was a gross misdemeanor.

Editor's note: The original story posted at 11 a.m. on Jan. 3 included an incorrect photo—that of Lakeville North head volleyball coach Walt Weaver. It was a procedural mistake we apologize for. We regret the error.