BECKER COUNTY, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) – A Detroit Lakes man faces two gross misdemeanor DWI charges after a Becker County deputy stopped a speeding vehicle.
Damon Scott Bunnis, 20, of Detroit Lakes, is accused of driving while impaired following an October 11, 2026, traffic stop.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Becker County District Court, deputies discovered empty beer cans inside his vehicle.
Deputy Clocks Vehicle at 70 MPH
The incident began when a Becker County deputy noticed a vehicle apparently traveling faster than the posted speed limit.
The deputy followed the vehicle and used radar to measure its speed.
According to court documents, the vehicle was traveling 65 mph in a 45-mph zone.
The deputy continued following the vehicle into an area with a posted 55-mph speed limit.
A second radar reading showed the vehicle traveling 70 mph.
The deputy activated his emergency lights and conducted a traffic stop.
Driver Admits Drinking Alcohol
When the deputy approached the vehicle, he noticed several empty beer cans on the passenger-side floorboard.
The driver was identified as Bunnis.
According to the complaint, Bunnis acknowledged drinking alcohol and said he did not have a driver’s license.
He also told the deputy he was unsure whether the vehicle had insurance.
The deputy reported that Bunnis had slurred speech, watery eyes, and an odor of alcohol.
Those observations prompted further investigation into possible impaired driving.
Field Sobriety Tests Show Signs of Impairment
The deputy asked Bunnis to exit the vehicle and perform standardized field sobriety tests.
According to the complaint, the deputy observed signs of impairment during two of the three tests.
Bunnis was then asked to provide a preliminary breath sample.
The preliminary breath test registered an alcohol reading of .081.
Following the test, Bunnis was placed under arrest on suspicion of driving while impaired.
Jail Breath Test Registers .08
Bunnis was transported to the Becker County Jail for additional testing.
At the jail, authorities read him the required breath-testing advisory.
According to court documents, Bunnis agreed to provide a breath sample using a DataMaster testing instrument.
The subsequent test registered an alcohol concentration of .08.
That reading meets Minnesota’s general prohibited alcohol concentration threshold for drivers.
Prior DWI-Related Offense Cited
Investigators also identified a previous DWI-related offense involving Bunnis.
The complaint references Becker County court file 03-CR-24-1578.
Prosecutors cite the prior offense as an aggravating factor supporting the third-degree DWI charges.
The supplied complaint does not describe the disposition of that earlier case.
Two Gross Misdemeanor Charges Filed
Prosecutors charged Bunnis with two counts of third-degree driving while impaired.
Count 1: Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Count 2: Operating a motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration of .08 or greater.
The charges fall under Minnesota Statute 169A.20 and Minnesota Statute 169A.26.
Each charge carries a maximum possible penalty of 364 days in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both.
Case Filed in Becker County Court
The case is filed in Minnesota’s Seventh Judicial District under court file number 03-CR-26-2068.
The criminal complaint lists a summons for Bunnis.
Both charges stem from the October 11 traffic stop.
The allegations have not been proven in court. Bunnis is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.
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