Ulen Man Charged After Alleged .26 DWI Test

ULEN, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) — An Ulen man faces three charges after a late-night traffic stop in Clay County.

Cody Dean Burnside has been charged with two counts of second-degree driving while impaired. Both charges are gross misdemeanors.

He also faces a misdemeanor charge for allegedly operating an uninsured vehicle.

The allegations were filed in Minnesota’s Seventh Judicial District Court. A criminal charge is only an accusation. Burnside is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Vehicle Allegedly Drove Onto Shoulder

The case began at about 11:04 p.m. on June 27, 2026.

A Clay County deputy reportedly saw a vehicle make a wide turn. The vehicle then moved onto the road shoulder.

The deputy stopped the vehicle and identified Burnside as the driver.

According to the complaint, Burnside said his license was not valid. He reportedly linked the license issue to earlier DWI convictions.

The complaint states the vehicle also lacked insurance.

The deputy reported smelling alcohol and seeing several possible signs of impairment. Those signs included bloodshot and watery eyes.

Burnside’s speech was also slurred at times, the complaint alleges.

Burnside reportedly said he drank four beers before driving. He also allegedly said he would not pass field sobriety tests.

Cody Dean Burnside | Clay County booking photo

Complaint Cites .26 Breath Result

The deputy conducted eye movement tests and reported signs of impairment.

Other standard balance tests were not completed because Burnside reported a back injury.

Burnside declined a roadside breath test, according to the complaint.

He was arrested and taken to the Clay County Jail.

At the jail, Burnside agreed to provide a breath sample. The complaint says the test occurred at 12:36 a.m.

The reported alcohol concentration was .26. That figure is more than three times Minnesota’s general .08 driving limit.

Readers can review Minnesota’s impaired-driving law through the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.

Charges and Possible Penalties

Each second-degree DWI charge carries a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail. Each also carries a possible $3,000 fine.

The uninsured vehicle charge carries up to 90 days in jail. It also carries a possible $1,000 fine.

The complaint alleges that two aggravating factors supported the second-degree DWI charges.

Burnside had two qualifying prior DWI convictions, according to court documents. One sentence was entered on June 4, 2026.

Case information may be available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch court records portal.

I’m Adrian Cole, reporting for TRF News.