Strathcona Man Charged in High-BAC DWI

THIEF RIVER FALLS (trfnews.i234.me) — A Strathcona man faces a gross misdemeanor DWI charge following a June traffic stop.

Isaiah Wejmar Newman, 30, was charged in Pennington County District Court.

The charge involves second-degree driving while impaired with two or more aggravating factors.

The allegations are listed in court file 57-CR-26-415.

Traffic Stop on Highway 1

The incident happened on June 14, 2026, in Thief River Falls.

A deputy reported seeing a vehicle traveling on Highway 1 East with one headlight out.

The vehicle allegedly touched the center line near Northland Community and Technical College.

Court documents say the driver activated a turn signal but continued through two intersections.

The truck then allegedly touched the fog line before turning onto Atlantic Avenue North.

The deputy reported that the vehicle crossed the center line after completing the turn.

A traffic stop was then started.

Isaiah Wejmar Newman

The deputy identified the driver as Newman.

The complaint alleges an odor of alcohol came from the vehicle.

Newman also appeared confused when asked for his driver’s license, according to the complaint.

The deputy then asked Newman to complete field sobriety tests.

Court records say Newman struggled to understand and follow several test instructions.

The walk-and-turn test was stopped before completion.

During another test, Newman allegedly kept his raised foot on the ground.

A preliminary breath test allegedly showed an alcohol concentration of .27.

Newman was arrested and taken to the Pennington County Law Enforcement Center.

He requested legal advice before taking an official breath test.

Several calls to attorneys were unsuccessful, according to the complaint.

Newman later provided a breath sample that allegedly measured .25.

Prosecutors cited two DWI convictions from the previous ten years.

Those convictions occurred in November 2018 and April 2019.

The current charge carries a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail.

It also carries a possible $3,000 fine, or both penalties.

More information about Minnesota DWI laws is available through the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.

Public court information may be available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

The charge is an allegation. Newman is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

I’m Adrian Cole, reporting for TRF News.