Thief River Falls ( trfnews.i234.me ) – A Thief River Falls man is facing charges after a late-night traffic stop led to a drunk driving arrest.
According to police, the incident happened on August 12 at 11:39 p.m. Officers conducted a traffic stop near Columbia Avenue and Jerome Street.
The driver, identified as 57-year-old Dean Arland Brandon of Thief River Falls, was charged with third-degree DWI with one aggravating factor. His alcohol test results were between 0.08 and 0.15.
Police say that once emergency lights were activated, Brandon turned into a driveway and attempted to walk away. Officers made contact and observed signs of impairment. Two cases of beer were seen in the back of the vehicle.
Brandon allegedly admitted to drinking one beer. He failed field sobriety tests, and a preliminary breath test showed a result of 0.10 blood alcohol content (BAC).
At the jail, Brandon agreed to a breath test, which produced a result of 0.11 BAC. Court documents also indicate Brandon has a prior DWI conviction from January 2016.
Under Minnesota law, third-degree DWI is a gross misdemeanor when aggravating factors, such as prior convictions, are present. Penalties can include jail time, fines, license suspension, and ignition interlock requirements. More details on state DWI penalties are available through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Brandon was booked following the arrest. His case is now moving forward in Pennington County Court.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
