Charges: Man Drove Under The Influence On Turkey Day With Son In Car
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A St. Paul man faces a DWI charge after court documents say he was stopped on Thanksgiving morning going 84 mph in a 55 mph zone with his young son in the back seat.
A criminal complaint says a trooper stopped 31-year-old Brett Howard Wergeland after he was clocked speeding just before 9:30 a.m. on southbound Highway 52.
The trooper said Wergeland smelled of alcohol and had watery, bloodshot eyes. According to the complaint, Wergeland told the trooper he had two drinks the night before.
A preliminary breath test showed a reading of .205, which is well above the legal limit. Wergeland also showed all six points in field sobriety tests.
Wergeland was handcuffed and put in jail. His 6-year-old son got a ride home from a family member.
Police asked if Wergeland would consent to a breath test, and he refused, the complaint said.
Wergeland faces a second-degree gross misdemeanor charge. If convicted faces a maximum penalty of 1 year in prison and/or a $3,000 fine.