Goodridge, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – On Sept. 30, a sheriff’s deputy was responding to another call for service when he conducted a traffic stop along 310th Avenue Northeast. Sonya Jean Groven, 51, of Goodridge, was subsequently charged with second-degree DWI (test refusal) and third-degree DWI (one aggravating factor). Groven was arrested after displaying signs of impairment and failing field sobriety tests.
When asked by the deputy, Groven admitted to drinking a cocktail. However, she refused to complete a preliminary breath test, claiming she would walk home. Despite her statement, the deputy arrested her and transported her to the Law Enforcement Center.
At the center, a sheriff’s investigator attempted to use the DMT (breathalyzer) on Groven, but she declined, stating she had already admitted to drinking alcohol. Later, Groven agreed to take the preliminary breath test due to jail protocol requiring medical clearance for individuals with a blood alcohol content over 0.25. The test revealed Groven’s blood alcohol level was 0.347.
Groven was taken to Sanford Medical Center, where she was medically cleared before being transferred back to jail. The following day, her sister-in-law informed authorities that Groven had been experiencing “alcoholic delusions” for the past year and a half, and her condition had worsened. The complaint also noted that Groven had a prior DWI incident within the last 10 years.