Extra Cops Searching For Impaired Drivers on Minnesota Roads

(KNSI) – The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is releasing the numbers so far from this year’s DWI enforcement campaign.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety says between November 23rd and December 12th, police arrested 1,427 impaired drivers. Some of the worst offenders included a 29-year-old man who was pulled over by a state trooper after a driving complaint. The man told the officer he was tired. He was also extremely intoxicated. The man had a .41 blood alcohol level. In another instance, a 39-year-old Elk River man was arrested for drunk driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.269. The legal limit for driving is .08.

The DPS says speeding has also been a major issue. A trooper in St. Louis County arrested a 37-year-old man for going 107 in a 60 mph zone. He was suspected of being high on drugs. A trooper stopped a 23-year-old driver in Oakdale for going 103 in a 65 mph zone. It was the third time the driver had been arrested for speeding over 100 mph.

The DPSOTS coordinates the enforcement, education and awareness campaign with funding provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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