Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) — A 73-year-old local man has been cited after a late-night traffic stop.
The stop happened in rural Pennington County.
Police stopped a vehicle near the intersection of 188th Street Northeast and Highway 32 on November 24.
The time of the stop was about 11:22 p.m.
The driver was identified as Terry Lynn Lubitz of Thief River Falls.
According to the citation, the officer reported signs that suggested possible impairment during the roadside contact.
The report says Lubitz showed indicators of impairment while speaking with the officer at the scene.
He was asked to perform a series of standard field sobriety tests on the roadside that night.
According to the citation, Lubitz did not pass those tests to the officer’s satisfaction.
A preliminary breath test on the scene reportedly showed a blood alcohol content of 0.10.
Minnesota law sets the legal limit for most drivers at 0.08 blood alcohol content.
Police then arrested Lubitz on suspicion of fourth-degree driving while impaired.
He was transported for further testing using a DataMaster breath testing machine, often called a DMT.
The latter DMT test also reportedly showed a 0.10 blood alcohol content result.
Fourth-degree DWI is a misdemeanor-level charge under Minnesota law for many first-time cases.
Penalties can include fines, possible jail time, and loss of driving privileges in some cases.
Lubitz is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty in court.
Court dates and charging documents will provide more detail about the case and any prior record.
Readers can find general information about DWI penalties and license sanctions on the Minnesota Department of Public Safety
website.
The Minnesota Judicial Branch also offers online resources that explain court procedure and rights in DWI cases.
No other injuries or vehicles were mentioned in the initial report of the traffic stop.
More information may be released if formal charges are filed and court records become available.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.