Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) — A Thief River Falls man is facing serious charges after an early morning traffic stop on April 11, according to a criminal complaint.
Traffic Stop on Highway 1
Police said the stop happened at about 2:03 a.m. on Highway 1. Court documents say the vehicle was traveling 52 mph in a 40-mph zone.
Authorities identified the driver as Dennis Robert Slack, 38, of Thief River Falls. He was later arrested.
Slack has been charged with felony first-degree DWI. He also faces a gross misdemeanor charge of driving after cancellation as inimical to public safety.
What the Complaint Says
According to the complaint, an officer saw signs of impairment while speaking with Slack. The complaint also says the officer learned Slack’s driving status had been cancelled.
Police said Slack admitted he had consumed three or four beers. When asked to take field sobriety tests, he allegedly said he had been drinking and wanted to avoid testing.
The complaint says Slack also admitted he was under the influence.
After he was taken to jail, officers read him the breath test advisory, the complaint states. Slack allegedly said he was in trouble and would be “going to the joint.”
When officers asked for a breath test, he allegedly would not make a clear choice. The complaint says officers asked him several times. Police then treated that as a test refusal.
Prior Convictions Listed
The complaint lists several prior convictions. Those include driving after cancellation and second-degree DWI in April 2024. Those were listed as separate cases.
It also lists driving after revocation in December 2022. Other listed convictions include DWI and no insurance in July 2020, fourth-degree DWI in November 2019, and felony fifth-degree drug possession in May 2017.
Charges are allegations. The case will be decided in court.
Readers can learn more about Minnesota DWI law at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Court case information may also appear through the Minnesota Court Information system.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.