Beltrami County (trfnews.i234.me) – A Laporte man with a felony DWI history is now facing gross misdemeanor charges after allegedly driving in Bemidji with a license canceled as “inimical to public safety.”
On June 3, 2025, Bemidji police were tipped off that Robert William Scott Nichols, 41, was behind the wheel of a gray Dodge with plates NPE937. Officers located the vehicle at 401 Paul Bunyan Drive SE, where Nichols initially denied driving. When informed police had seen him behind the wheel, Nichols admitted he was heading to work.
Officer Ben Holt noted Nichols’ pupils were “very pinpoint,” but sobriety tests showed no signs of current impairment. Nonetheless, driving with a DAC-IPS status is a gross misdemeanor in Minnesota.
Nichols has a prior felony DWI conviction under case 04-CR-22-2591.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.