Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson pled guilty to a misdemeanor Thursday following a Driving Under Influence (DUI) crash in Alexandria. The crash only involved his vehicle, which rolled off the highway. Hutchinson was on his way home from a sheriff convention.
Hutchinson released a statement late last week, saying he was in outpatient treatment for an alcohol issue and has since “returned to work.”
BREAKING: Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson says he pleaded guilty to a DUI charge this morning. pic.twitter.com/6UfJTtWhkt
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) December 16, 2021
In a different statement immediately following the incident, Hutchinson said, “I made the inexcusable decision to drive after drinking alcohol and I am deeply sorry. As the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in Hennepin County, I am held to a higher standard. I regret the choice I made and apologize to the citizens I serve, the staff I work with, and the friends and family who support me.”
Hutchinson had a blood alcohol count (BAC) of 0.13%, almost double the legal Minnesota BAC of 0.08%. The statement from Hutchinson said that he did not “practice what I preached” and stated that he “understand[s] the seriousness” of his actions.
He took a plea deal, pleading guilty to one misdemeanor, getting the other three charges dismissed. One of the more serious charges, carrying a pistol under the influence, was given a continuance for dismissal by the state.
Freelance journalist Rebecca Brannon obtained images of the vehicle, which depict the car entirely mangled, almost unrecognizable. WCCO reported that a state trooper who responded told the sheriff that he was “lucky to be alive” after his crash.
https://twitter.com/RebsBrannon/status/1471523184537047042
The Minnesota Republican Party called for Hutchinson to resign in a tweet on Friday, saying “Sheriff Hutchinson should step down and focus on his health so residents can have a top law enforcement officer better able to focus on fighting crime.”
As Hennepin County faces serious challenges with violent crime, residents need a sheriff who is laser-focused on public safety. Sheriff Hutchinson should step down and focus on his health so residents can have a top law enforcement officer better able to focus on fighting crime.
— Republican Party of Minnesota (@mngop) December 17, 2021
Typical penalties in Minnesota for a first DUI offense are potential jail time and or loss of driving privileges for a minimum of 30 days. The standard sentence for a misdemeanor charge of any kind is up to 90 days in jail, a $500 fine, plus two years of probation.
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Hayley Feland is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun and The Wisconsin Daily Star | Star News Network. Follow Hayley on Twitter or like her Facebook page. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “David Hutchinson” by Sheriff Dave Hutchinson.
