Friday, May 10, 2013
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety will be tweeting every arrest from Friday’s patrols. Catch all the tweets here.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety has a new tool when it comes to deterring drunken driving: Twitter. On Friday night, there will be 150 squads patrolling major corridors in the Twin Cities’ largest-ever, one-night, coordinated DWI enforcement effort. But this effort isn’t notable just because of its size; it will also offer Minnesotans the chance to follow along via Twitter. The Department of Public Safety (@MnDPS_OTS) will tweet the age and gender of those arrested for DWI using the hashtag #May10DWI. Too busy to follow along in real time? Check out the agency’s tweets and other related mentions in the live blog above. (People viewing this article on a mobile browser may not be able to view the live blog.)
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Robert Ertl, Lakeville North's activities director who faced scrutiny following a June DWI arrest, is stepping down to return to the classroom.
Robert Ertl, Lakeville North High School's activities director, has been a man under intense scrutiny since his July DWI arrest. Parents called for his ouster in December when he pleaded guilty to the DWI charge, despite Ertl having undergone rehab and working with district officials to keep his job. As first reported on Lakeville Patch, Ertl, 47, of Northfield, pleaded guilty Dec. 20 to gross-misdemeanor DWI. It was his second alcohol-related arrest since 2008. But on Feb. 26, Lakeville's School Board approved Ertl's resignation from his job as as activities director, with the plan to have him resume his teaching career as a social studies teacher. Administrative Services Executive Director Tony Massaros said Ertl's resignation doesn't …
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Man who drove into snow bank was extremely intoxicated.
Officer James Stevens was on patrol one night recently when he responded to a report of a vehicle stuck in a snow bank. Officer Stevens located the vehicle and, after talking with the driver, soon discovered why the vehicle was lodged in the snow bank. The driver appeared extremely intoxicated. A portable breath test administered to the driver indicated that he was over three times the legal limit. Officer Stevens arrested the driver who was jailed on DUI charges and the vehicle was towed and impounded.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Woman arrested for DUI happened to have an active arrest warrant for—you guessed it—DUI.
Officer Adam Stier stopped a vehicle for a license plate violation after running a routine computer check on the plate one night this week. While speaking with the driver, the driver displayed indications that she was under the influence of alcohol. Officer Stier requested that the driver perform a field sobriety test. The driver attempted to complete the test, but showed obvious signs of intoxication. Officer Stier arrested the driver for DUI and a subsequent breath test indicated that the driver was over twice the legal limit for intoxication. The driver was also found to have a revoked driver’s license and an active arrest warrant out of Hennepin County for DWI. The driver was placed in Dakota County Jail pending formal charges and the …
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Robert Ertl, the activities and athletic director at Lakeville North High School, pleaded guilty in December to driving with a .13 percent blood-alcohol content in June.
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 …
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Police say Apple Valley resident Michael V. Sovis had a blood-alcohol level of .28—more than three times the legal limit—according to a report in the Pioneer Press.
A Dakota County judge arrested for an alleged DWI on Christmas Eve was so intoxicated that he had trouble standing, according to a Pioneer Press report. Michael Vann Sovis, 63, faces two gross misdemeanor counts of third-degree DWI following the arrest, which took place just before 8 p.m. on Dec. 24 in St. Paul. Sovis, who has served as a judge since 1988, allegedly crashed his Lexus sport-utility vehicle into several parked cars along St. Clair Avenue before driving into a snowbank on the side of the road, according to a criminal complaint cited by the Pioneer Press. Sovis allegedly had difficulty completing field sobriety tests administered by police at the scene, and at one point needed the support of an officer to keep from falling. …
Thursday, December 6, 2012
County attorney and sheriff agree: "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving"
Editor's note: The following is a press release from Dakota County. Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom and Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows are joining highway safety organizations and law enforcement partners across the nation to remind people during December and throughout the year that "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving" and that drinking and driving don’t mix. December is designated National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. It is a time to raise awareness about the dangerous consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. On average, 25 people are killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes each day in America during the month of December. County Attorney Backstrom and Sheriff Bellows want to remind people …
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Police say Brenda Lee Lysholm, already charged with continuing to operate her day-care facility without a license, had a .30 percent blood-alcohol content and her daughter in the car when she caused a three-car accident this week.
A former Lakeville day-care operator charged with continuing to operate her facility with a suspended license had her young daughter in the car and a blood-alcohol content almost four times the legal limit when she was arrested for drunken driving, police say. Brenda Lee Lysholm, 45, made a first appearance Sept. 26 on two gross misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated, each of which carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $3,000 fine. She is also charged with careless driving, a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Lysholm is accused of rear-ending a car about 6:15 p.m. Sept. 24 at a red light at Dodd Boulevard and 175th Street West. The crash pushed the second car into a third …
Monday, July 2, 2012
A woman got out of a car driven by her boyfriend who she thought was too intoxicated to drive. The scene attracted the attention of police, and it turns out she was right.
Sergeant Steve Klehr was on patrol late one night recently when he came across a woman walking down the road with her boyfriend driving his car slowly next to her, apparently trying to get her back in the car with him. Sergeant Klehr stopped the vehicle to investigate and found the boyfriend appeared to be under the influence. A subsequent portable breath test confirmed Sergeant Klehr’s observations and indicated that the driver was over twice the legal limit. The driver was arrested for DUI. Sergeant Klehr learned that the woman had originally gotten out of the car and was walking along the roadway because she believed that her boyfriend had too much to drink and was driving while intoxicated. She was right.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
The latest updates from Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows.
Each week, Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows releases a newsletter. In case you don't see it, Lakeville Patch has it.
DJR
9:52 pm on Monday, May 13, 2013
@mike savick: the point that's being made us that if you're going to defend a position by 'burdening others with facts' try using facts. more ›