Bemidji Man Charged With Felony DWI After .23 Test

BEMIDJI, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A 37-year-old Wisconsin man faces a felony DWI charge following a June incident in Bemidji.

Michael Kenneth Rainey, of Cumberland, Wisconsin, is accused of driving with an alcohol concentration nearly three times Minnesota’s legal limit.

According to a criminal complaint, Rainey’s evidentiary breath test showed an alcohol concentration of .23.

The legal limit for most Minnesota drivers is .08.

Prosecutors also cite Rainey’s previous impaired driving history as part of the felony case.

Police Respond to Domestic Assault Report

The investigation began around 4:46 p.m. on June 28, 2026.

Bemidji police responded to a reported domestic assault at an apartment complex on Itasca Loop Northwest.

Officers learned that Rainey had reportedly left the original location in a pickup truck.

Police were also told he had been drinking before leaving.

According to court documents, a child pointed officers toward a truck parked across the courtyard.

An officer observed the truck’s brake lights illuminate before the vehicle moved slightly backward.

The truck shut off as the officer approached.

Driver Admits Consuming Strong Mixed Drinks

Police identified the driver as Michael Kenneth Rainey.

According to the complaint, the officer noticed slurred speech, glassy eyes, and unusually infrequent blinking.

Rainey reportedly told police there had not been a domestic assault.

He suggested the other person may have believed they were arguing because he had been drinking.

The investigating officer determined that no domestic assault had occurred.

However, the officer continued investigating possible impaired driving.

Rainey reportedly acknowledged driving his truck across the courtyard after consuming alcohol.

He admitted drinking three mixed alcoholic beverages and described them as strong.

Breath Test Shows .23 Alcohol Concentration

Police requested field sobriety testing after observing possible signs of impairment.

According to the complaint, Rainey did not satisfactorily complete the tests.

A preliminary breath test showed an alcohol concentration of .212.

Officers then arrested Rainey and transported him to the Beltrami County Jail.

At the jail, police read him Minnesota’s breath test advisory.

Rainey agreed to submit to an evidentiary breath test.

The resulting alcohol concentration was .23, according to court records.

That reading is approximately 2.9 times Minnesota’s standard legal driving limit.

Previous DWI Convictions Cited

Prosecutors allege Rainey has three prior qualifying impaired driving incidents.

The criminal complaint lists several previous convictions involving alcohol-related driving offenses in Wisconsin.

Those include impaired driving convictions dating back to 2007.

Court records also identify a felony operating-while-intoxicated conviction from Polk County, Wisconsin, in July 2023.

Additionally, the complaint lists a Minnesota third-degree DWI conviction under case number 04-CR-26-1170.

Other charges listed in Rainey’s history include pending Wisconsin impaired driving allegations from November 2025.

Those pending allegations are separate from the current Beltrami County case and have not been established as convictions.

Felony Charge Carries Possible Prison Sentence

Rainey faces a felony charge of driving with an alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

The complaint cites Minnesota Statute 169A.20, subdivision 1(5), with penalties under Minnesota Statute 169A.24.

The charge carries a maximum possible sentence of seven years in prison, a $14,000 fine, or both.

This is the maximum statutory penalty, not a sentence imposed against Rainey.

More information is available through Minnesota’s first-degree DWI law.

Case Filed in Beltrami County District Court

The criminal case is filed in Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District under court file number 04-CR-26-2182.

The prosecutor’s file number is 0040093086.

The supplied complaint does not establish a trial date or final case outcome.

Public court information may be available through Minnesota Court Records Online.

The felony charge remains an allegation. Rainey is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.