State Rep. Brion Curran charged with DWI
HARRIS, Minn. — A state lawmaker who represents the eastern metro has been charged with DWI.
Rep. Brion Curran is charged with two counts of DWI, according to court documents filed in Chisago County. Curran represents District 36B, which includes Vadnais Heights, White Bear Lake and other parts of the eastern Twin Cities.
According to a criminal complaint, a report of an SUV off the road brought a Chisago County Sheriff's Office deputy to Interstate 35 in Harris around 2 a.m. Monday.
The deputy saw a driver in a vehicle going slowly on the shoulder with their hazard lights activated. As he approached, he saw the vehicle had a flat tire and damage to the driver's side.
The driver, later identified as Curran, told the deputy "she was having trouble getting home," the complaint states. The deputy reported she had "bloodshot watery eyes and slurred speech." She also thought she was in St. Paul, according to the complaint, and told the deputy she had had three drinks.
The deputy took Curran through sobriety tests and said she showed signs of impairment during one, then refused to complete more tests, including a breath test. The deputy arrested her and brought her to jail, where she agreed to a breath test and blew .16, according to the complaint. That's twice the legal limit of .08.
Curran's office has not responded to a request for comment. She is still in custody and was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning.