Thief River Falls Man Charged in 0.18 DWI Case
Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) — A local man faces a second-degree DWI charge following an Aug. 22 arrest.
Michael James Fisher, 55, of Thief River Falls, has been charged with second-degree driving while impaired.
The charge alleges two or more aggravating factors were present.
Police were called at about 3:22 p.m. to the South China Buffet parking lot.
A caller reported a man slumped over inside an idling vehicle.
Police Wake Driver Inside Vehicle
According to the complaint, police found Fisher inside the running vehicle.
An officer knocked on the window and woke him.
Fisher appeared tired and had slurred speech, according to the complaint.
He allegedly told police he had consumed a couple of beers.
Fisher said he drank them about two hours earlier, according to court documents.
Michael James Fisher
Police then conducted field sobriety testing.
The complaint states Fisher failed those tests.
Preliminary Test Reported 0.18
Fisher provided a preliminary breath test during the investigation.
The test produced a reported alcohol concentration of 0.18, according to the complaint.
The preliminary result was more than twice Minnesota’s standard 0.08 driving limit.
Authorities later obtained a search warrant for a blood sample.
Fisher complied with the warrant, according to the complaint.
The blood sample was sent for laboratory testing.
No final blood-test result was included in the information provided.
Prior DWI Listed in Complaint
The complaint states Fisher has a prior DWI conviction from 2019.
Minnesota law considers certain prior impaired-driving incidents when determining aggravating factors.
Minnesota Statute 169A.25 covers second-degree driving while impaired.
The law classifies second-degree DWI as a gross misdemeanor.
Minnesota law also explains how prior incidents can count as aggravating factors.
Fisher was arrested after the Aug. 22 investigation.
The charge is an allegation and does not establish guilt.
Fisher is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.
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