Becker Co. Fargo Man Sentenced for Felony DWI
Becker County ( trfnews.i234.me ) – A Fargo man has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for felony DWI after refusing a chemical breath test. Court records identify the defendant as 31-year-old Taylor James Meyer.
The case began on June 13, 2020, when deputies were called to a residence in Audubon. An anonymous caller reported that a man appeared intoxicated while operating a pontoon on the lake. Witnesses told deputies that Meyer had taken a relative’s new pontoon without permission and drove it erratically for nearly 45 minutes, at times punching the throttle, reversing suddenly, and weaving along the shoreline. Several people were able to guide the pontoon back onto a lift before law enforcement arrived.
Deputies noted that Meyer displayed clear signs of intoxication, including slurred speech, red and glassy eyes, and a strong odor of alcohol. He admitted to consuming “two good gulps of vodka” and provided a preliminary breath sample with a 0.207 BAC. After his arrest, Meyer was transported to the Becker County Jail, where he refused a formal DataMaster DMT breath test, claiming he had already completed a test at the scene.
Court records show Meyer has four prior impaired driving convictions in the past decade, two in Minnesota and two in North Dakota. On August 19, he was sentenced to 48 months in prison at St. Cloud, with the sentence stayed for five years. He must serve one year in jail, with 319 days to be served under home detention and electronic monitoring. Meyer received credit for 213 days already served.
He was also ordered to pay $695 in fines and fees and placed on supervised probation for five years. Conditions include electronic alcohol monitoring, random testing, attending a victim impact panel, and completing cognitive skills training. Learn more about Minnesota’s DWI laws.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News
