Bagley Man Charged With DWI, Child In Vehicle
Bagley (trfnews.i234.me) — A Bagley man is facing a gross misdemeanor DWI charge after a traffic stop in Clearwater County.
Nathanael Luke Bennett, 36, is charged in Clearwater County District Court with second-degree driving while impaired.
The case was filed under court file number 15-CR-26-210.
The charge stems from an alleged incident on June 3, 2026, in Bagley.
Traffic Stop On Highway 2
According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement received a report of a possible impaired driver.
The vehicle was described as a red Toyota 4Runner.
A Bagley officer later located the vehicle leaving a parking lot.
The complaint says the vehicle then traveled east on Highway 2.
Authorities allege the vehicle failed to maintain its lane.
A traffic stop was then conducted in the City of Bagley.
Investigators say Bennett was driving the vehicle.
An 11-year-old child was also listed as a passenger.
Complaint Alleges High Alcohol Reading
The complaint says Bennett showed signs of possible impairment.
Those signs included red, watery eyes and the smell of alcohol.
When asked about driving, Bennett allegedly said he had been drinking.
The complaint says Bennett refused field sobriety testing.
He was then arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired.
Authorities later obtained a preliminary breath test.
The complaint lists the PBT result as .386 BAC.
That result is far above Minnesota’s legal limit of .08.
You can read more about Minnesota DWI law through the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.
Aggravating Factors Cited
Prosecutors allege two aggravating factors in the case.
One factor is an alcohol level of .16 or higher.
The other is a child under 16 inside the vehicle.
Second-degree DWI penalties are outlined under Minnesota Statute 169A.25.
The complaint also states Bennett has a prior out-of-state DWI conviction.
A search warrant was granted for a blood or urine sample.
Bennett later submitted a blood sample at a Bagley medical facility.
The sample is expected to be tested by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
The maximum sentence listed in the complaint is 364 days in jail.
The charge also carries a possible $3,000 fine.
A criminal complaint is not a conviction.
Bennett is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.