Thief River Falls, Pennington County (trfnews.i234.me) — A Thief River Falls man is charged after police say they found him stuck in a snowbank and showing signs of impairment.
Jeffrey Dean Feragen, 54, of Thief River Falls, is charged with gross misdemeanor third-degree driving while impaired under Minnesota Statute 169A.20.
What police say happened
According to the complaint, the incident happened on January 31, 2026.
Police say it was about 8:34 p.m. when an officer saw a black sedan stuck in snow.
The car was near the intersection of Pennington Avenue and Riverdale Drive.
Police report Feragen was outside the car and shoveling.
A bystander was also there and trying to help.
Police say Feragen stumbled while stepping back during the contact.
When asked about drinking, police say he made a “grunting noise” in response.
The officer reported glossy eyes and an odor of alcohol.
Breath tests and the charge
Police say Feragen had trouble following field test instructions.
They say he tried the tests for about ten seconds.
Police report he then said “no” when asked to continue.
A preliminary breath test at the scene reportedly showed .309.
Police say he was taken to the Pennington County Jail for testing.
An evidentiary breath test there reportedly showed .33.
That result is more than four times the .08 legal limit.
For more on impaired driving laws, see the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
For background on field sobriety testing, see NHTSA SFST resources.
Court and bail details
Bail was set at $300 cash with conditions, the complaint states.
The court also offered $3,000 cash or bond without conditions.
The charge is a gross misdemeanor with a maximum of 364 days in jail.
The maximum fine listed is $3,000.
- Alleged offense date: 2026-01-31
- Date filed: 2026-02-02
Charges are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
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