Detroit Lakes Man Sentenced to 41 Months for DWI

Detroit Lakes Man Sentenced to 41 Months for DWI

DETROIT LAKES (trfnews.i234.me) — Bruce Allen Basswood has received a 41-month prison sentence for felony DWI.

Basswood, 56, was sentenced in Becker County District Court on May 13.

The court credited him with 173 days already served in jail.

A fifth-degree drug charge was dismissed under a plea agreement.

Highway 34 Traffic Stop

Court records state the case began on November 22, 2025.

Basswood was stopped after reporting erratic driving on Highway 34 in Becker County.

A blood sample was sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for testing.

The supplied records do not state the test result.

During booking, jail staff reportedly found a small bag containing methamphetamine in Basswood’s wallet.

The bag and packaging weighed 0.28 grams, according to the criminal complaint.

That claim supported the fifth-degree drug charge later dismissed through the plea agreement.

Basswood was not sentenced on that dismissed count.

Bruce Allen Basswood booking photo. Source: Becker County Jail.

Prior Conviction Cited

Court records also cite a 2019 criminal vehicular homicide conviction.

Minnesota law treats certain substance-related criminal vehicular convictions as prior impaired-driving convictions.

The complete criminal history was not included in the supplied summary.

Prison Sentence and Fees

The court ordered Basswood to serve 41 months in state prison at St. Cloud.

His 173 days of jail credit will count toward that sentence.

The court also imposed a $50 fine and $160 in court fees.

A five-year conditional-release term will follow his confinement.

The supplied records do not list every condition of that release.

Violations during conditional release can result in additional custody.

Felony DWI Law

Minnesota law classifies first-degree DWI as a felony.

The offense can carry up to seven years in prison.

Felony DWI sentencing rules also require a prison term of at least three years.

The sentence may include jail credit and other terms set by the court.

Becker County Court Records

The Becker County District Court is located in Detroit Lakes.

Public case documents may be available through Minnesota Court Records Online.

I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.