Joseph Laurier Poulin, 53, of Bemidji, is charged in Beltrami County District Court with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The charge was filed under Minnesota Statute 169A.20<\/a>, with reference to Minnesota Statute 169A.26<\/a>.<\/p>\n The court file number is 04-CR-26-1089. The case is listed in Minnesota\u2019s 9th Judicial District.<\/p>\n According to the criminal complaint, police were called at about 12:53 a.m. on May 13, 2026. The call involved an Apple Watch crash notification near Jefferson Avenue SW and Gregg Court NW in Bemidji.<\/p>\n When police arrived, they found a heavily damaged sedan in a ditch. The vehicle was just north of one Gregg Court entrance, according to the complaint.<\/p>\n Police did not see anyone at first. They then found a man leaning back in the driver\u2019s seat. The complaint says he appeared to wake up when police knocked on the window.<\/p>\n The man was later identified as Joseph Laurier Poulin. Police reported that his eyes were watery and bloodshot. They also noted slurred speech and confusion.<\/p>\n The complaint says the steering wheel airbag had deployed. Police asked Poulin to exit the car and walk toward the road.<\/p>\n While walking, Poulin started to fall into the ditch, according to the complaint. Police helped him stand near a squad car.<\/p>\n Investigators said Poulin had trouble answering questions. They also said he appeared distracted during the contact.<\/p>\n The complaint states Poulin performed field sobriety tests. Police reported that he did not complete the tests in a satisfactory way.<\/p>\n Poulin provided a preliminary breath test result of 0.181, according to the complaint.<\/p>\n Poulin was arrested and taken to the Beltrami County Jail. The complaint says he was read the breath test advisory.<\/p>\n He told police he understood the advisory. He declined to speak with an attorney, according to the complaint.<\/p>\n Poulin then agreed to provide a breath sample. A DMT test returned a reported result of 0.21 at 1:44 a.m.<\/p>\n The charge carries a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail and a $3,000 fine. Court records can be searched through Minnesota Court Records Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n A criminal complaint is not a conviction. Poulin is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.<\/p>\nCrash Alert Led Police To Ditch<\/h2>\n
![\"Joseph](\"https:\/\/trfnews.i234.me\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/PoulinJoseph.png\")
Complaint Details Sobriety Testing<\/h2>\n
Breath Test Reported At Jail<\/h2>\n