Kittson County (trfnews.i234.me) — Ryan Alton Berg, 48, of East Grand Forks, is charged in a DWI case.
He faces third-degree and fourth-degree DWI counts, prosecutors say.
What happened
A Minnesota Department of Transportation worker spotted a red Ford F-150 in a ditch.
The worker reported the driver appeared to be passed out behind the wheel.
The call came in on January 19, 2026, at about 1:31 PM.
The pickup was on 210th Street, west of State Highway 59.
Deputies arrived around 1:59 PM and saw the truck about 100 yards off the highway.
Berg was outside the vehicle when deputies arrived.
The engine was still running, the complaint says.
Berg told deputies he slid into the ditch while watching deer.
He first denied drinking that day.
Cold conditions and testing
Deputies reported knee-deep snow at the scene.
They also reported temperatures near minus 2 degrees.
Berg wore tennis shoes and no boots, the complaint says.
Deputies noted watery eyes and slurred speech.
A preliminary breath test showed .21, according to the complaint.
Berg was arrested and taken to the Kittson County Sheriff’s Office.
An evidentiary breath test later recorded .26.
That result is more than three times the .08 limit.
Minnesota’s per se legal limit is .08 for most drivers.
State guidance says you can be arrested below .08 if impaired.
Charges and court
The complaint lists a gross misdemeanor third-degree DWI count.
It cites an alcohol concentration of .08 within two hours.
It also lists a misdemeanor fourth-degree DWI count.
Bail was set at $1,200 with conditions, the complaint says.
Other options listed were $12,000 with conditions, or $50,000 without conditions.
Release conditions include making all court appearances and obeying the law.
The alleged offense date is January 19, 2026.
The case was filed in court on January 20, 2026.
Related resources
- Minnesota DWI law: Statute 169A.20
- Minnesota DPS: impaired driving laws and BAC limits
- Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)
- Kittson County departments: Sheriff
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
Dum ass
Yep that’s a lot of jail time.
Yep I know that money went up to 15 some thing now the 👮 don’t play around.
I know because I did jail time just like this.