East Grand Forks, Polk County (trfnews.i234.me) — A Belcourt, North Dakota man is facing a felony drunk driving charge in Polk County after police found him asleep in a running pickup, according to a criminal complaint.
Daniel Alan Kinney, 52, has been charged with first-degree driving while impaired under Minnesota Statute 169A.20, with a felony enhancement under Minnesota Statute 169A.24. The charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, a $14,000 fine, or both.
Report at East Grand Forks gas station
According to the complaint, officers were sent to the Circle K at 1010 Central Avenue N.E. around 12:15 p.m. on March 6, 2026. A store employee reported that a man was sleeping inside a green Ford pickup and would not wake up.
When officers arrived, they found the pickup parked near the front door. The engine was running. Kinney was sitting in the driver’s seat and appeared to be passed out, the complaint said.
After he woke up, officers reported signs of intoxication. The complaint says Kinney had bloodshot, watery eyes and smelled of alcohol. He also allegedly spoke slowly and had trouble keeping his eyes open.
Kinney told police he did not have a valid driver’s license because of a prior DWI. He also said he had been at the gas station playing scratch-off tickets before falling asleep, according to the complaint.
Breath test results
Police had Kinney get out of the truck and perform field sobriety tests. Based on those tests, officers believed he was under the influence of alcohol, the complaint said.
A preliminary breath test later showed an alcohol concentration of 0.227, according to the court filing. After his arrest, officers also found two unopened Fireball whiskey shooters in his pockets, the complaint states.
Kinney was then taken for an evidentiary breath test. That test showed a reported alcohol concentration of 0.22 at 1:48 p.m., according to the complaint.
Prior convictions listed
Prosecutors allege the case qualifies as a felony because Kinney has prior impaired driving convictions in Brown County, South Dakota. The complaint lists convictions on Dec. 2, 2019, Dec. 6, 2023, and Jan. 17, 2025.
The case was filed in Minnesota District Court in Polk County under court file 60-CR-26-298. Charges in a complaint are allegations. They must still be proven in court.
Readers can learn more about Minnesota court procedures through the Minnesota Judicial Branch and review state DWI laws through the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
