{"id":12610,"date":"2026-01-23T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trfnews.i234.me\/wordpress\/?p=12610"},"modified":"2026-01-22T06:13:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T12:13:39","slug":"kittson-county-east-grand-forks-man-tested-at-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trfnews.i234.me\/wordpress\/kittson-county-east-grand-forks-man-tested-at-26\/","title":{"rendered":"Kittson County: East Grand Forks Man Tested at .26"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kittson County<\/strong> (trfnews.i234.me<\/a>) \u2014 Ryan Alton Berg, 48, of East Grand Forks, is charged in a DWI case.<\/p>\n

He faces third-degree and fourth-degree DWI counts, prosecutors say.<\/p>\n

What happened<\/h2>\n

A Minnesota Department of Transportation worker spotted a red Ford F-150 in a ditch.<\/p>\n

The worker reported the driver appeared to be passed out behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

The call came in on January 19, 2026, at about 1:31 PM.<\/p>\n

The pickup was on 210th Street, west of State Highway 59.<\/p>\n

Deputies arrived around 1:59 PM and saw the truck about 100 yards off the highway.<\/p>\n

Berg was outside the vehicle when deputies arrived.<\/p>\n

The engine was still running, the complaint says.<\/p>\n

Berg told deputies he slid into the ditch while watching deer.<\/p>\n

He first denied drinking that day.<\/p>\n

\"Kittson
Kittson County: East Grand Forks Man Tested at .26<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cold conditions and testing<\/h2>\n

Deputies reported knee-deep snow at the scene.<\/p>\n

They also reported temperatures near minus 2 degrees.<\/p>\n

Berg wore tennis shoes and no boots, the complaint says.<\/p>\n

Deputies noted watery eyes and slurred speech.<\/p>\n

A preliminary breath test showed .21, according to the complaint.<\/p>\n

Berg was arrested and taken to the Kittson County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

An evidentiary breath test later recorded .26.<\/p>\n

That result is more than three times the .08 limit.<\/p>\n

Minnesota\u2019s per se legal limit is .08 for most drivers.<\/p>\n

State guidance says you can be arrested below .08 if impaired.<\/p>\n

Charges and court<\/h2>\n

The complaint lists a gross misdemeanor third-degree DWI count.<\/p>\n

It cites an alcohol concentration of .08 within two hours.<\/p>\n

It also lists a misdemeanor fourth-degree DWI count.<\/p>\n

Bail was set at $1,200 with conditions, the complaint says.<\/p>\n

Other options listed were $12,000 with conditions, or $50,000 without conditions.<\/p>\n

Release conditions include making all court appearances and obeying the law.<\/p>\n

The alleged offense date is January 19, 2026.<\/p>\n

The case was filed in court on January 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

Related resources<\/h2>\n