Thief River Falls Man Charged in .17 DWI Case

THIEF RIVER FALLS (trfnews.i234.me) — A local man faces three charges following a May traffic stop.

Ian Theodore Fay is charged in Pennington County District Court. The court case number is 57-CR-26-351.

The complaint lists third-degree driving while impaired as the most serious charge. That charge is a gross misdemeanor.

Fay also faces two misdemeanor charges. They involve an open cannabis package and an open alcohol container.

Traffic Stop Led to Arrest

The stop happened on May 26 near First Street and Maple Avenue. Police said Fay was driving a silver SUV.

An officer stopped the vehicle after checking the driver’s license status. The complaint says the license had expired.

Fay opened the driver’s door because the window was not working. Police then reported smelling alcohol inside the vehicle.

Fay denied drinking alcohol that day. Police asked him to leave the vehicle for field sobriety testing.

The complaint says Fay showed several signs during those tests. Police reported balance problems and an improper turn.

A preliminary breath test reportedly showed an alcohol concentration of .155. Police then arrested Fay.

Officers searched the SUV before transporting him. They reported finding several small alcohol bottles inside.

Some bottles were open, while others were empty. Police also reported finding a container with suspected cannabis.

At the law enforcement center, Fay asked to speak with an attorney. He later agreed to another breath test.

The complaint says that the test produced two steady samples. The reported alcohol concentration was .17.

The DWI charge carries up to 364 days in jail. It also carries a possible $3,000 fine.

Each misdemeanor carries up to 90 days in jail. Each charge also carries a possible $1,000 fine.

Readers can review Minnesota’s DWI laws through the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.

Public court information is available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

The charges are allegations. Fay is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

I’m Chris Harper, reporting for TRF News.