Thief River Falls: 18-year-old charged in .18 DWI

Thief River Falls, Pennington County (trfnews.i234.me)

Police say a driver got stuck on the 1st Street bridge. Court records name the driver as Justin Jourdain.

Justin Jourdain, 18, of Thief River Falls, is charged with three counts. The charges include third-degree DWI, no driver’s license, and an open bottle.

What the police reported

Police responded on January 26, 2026, according to the complaint. An officer saw a gray Buick LeSabre sitting sideways in traffic.

Police say the car’s wheels spun in deep snow. The vehicle later pulled into a church parking lot. The car then became stuck.

The officer approached to check on the driver. Police say Jourdain had glossy eyes. The report says he first denied drinking. Police say he admitted to using THC.

Evidence and testing

Officers moved sobriety testing indoors due to the cold and ice. They took Jourdain to the Pennington County garage, the complaint says.

Police say he failed multiple balance and coordination tests. Police also searched the car and his pockets.

The report lists a full raspberry alcohol “shooter” bottle. It also lists an empty peach “shooter” bottle. Police also reported a THC vape device.

Police later gave Jourdain a breath test at the law enforcement center. The test showed an alcohol concentration of .18, the complaint says.

Minnesota’s legal limit is .08, according to the state. The state also notes arrests can occur below .08.

Charges and court

The DWI count alleges an alcohol concentration of .16 or greater. The no-license count alleges he drove without a valid license. The open bottle count alleges an open container in the vehicle.

• Minn. Stat. § 169A.20 (DWI law)
• Minn. Stat. § 171.02 (license required)
• Minn. Stat. § 169A.35 (open bottle law)

Judge Michael P. Grover set bail at $5,000 with conditions, records show. The court also listed a $50,000 bond with conditions. A $100,000 bond was listed without conditions.

The case was filed on January 27, 2026. The charges are allegations. The case remains pending in court.

More details on DWI laws are at Minnesota DPS. License information is at Minnesota DVS. Pennington County contacts are at Pennington Sheriff.

I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.