Minnesota State Rep. Walter Hudson, Albertville, has been revealed as a passenger in the arrest of a fellow Minnesota House member who was suspected of driving while impaired Friday, March 27.
Rep. Elliot Engen, who was pictured in a photo circulated online drinking at an establishment with Hudson during the Minnesota Twins season opener, was pulled over around 2 a.m. Friday, according to an arrest report issued by the White Bear Lake Police Department. Engen, who represents White Bear Lake Township, was screened at the scene, and an officer called for backup when it was revealed that Hudson was carrying a handgun, and also “appeared impaired.”
Reports state Hudson was “more than compliant” with officers as he surrendered his firearm to police. Hudson told the responding officers he was carrying.
In a statement to the Minnesota Reformer, Hudson said he made a series of “poor decisions.”
“I regret the poor decisions that were made during this incident, and commend the White Bear Police Department for their professional response. I’m grateful that no harm was done to ourselves and others,” he wrote.
Walter Hudson, Minnesota State Representative, District 30A.
Rep. Lisa Demuth, Cold Spring, current House Speaker, also released a statement to media about the incident.
“The decisions made in this incident were unacceptable and fall short of the expectations I have for conduct of legislators. I will be addressing this directly with both members involved,” she wrote.
Both men were involved in sessions on Friday evening at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul.
Engen repeatedly denied to the officer that he had been drinking. Engen’s clothing appeared disheveled, the officer stated.
In the rear of the car, police found a bottle of alcohol in a child’s car seat. Hudson said it was his bottle, according to the Engen arrest report.
The sergeant conducted a field sobriety test on Engen; the preliminary breath test reported Engen had a .142 blood alcohol concentration, the report states. The officer placed him under arrest for DWI. While looking through Engen’s wallet, the sergeant found his Minnesota House ID card.
Engen was arrested and said that both of his passengers had been drinking. It’s unclear who the second passenger was. Engen was brought to the White Bear Police Department, according to the report , where he was given another screening test and blew a .13 blood alcohol concentration. Minnesota’s legal limit is .08.
After reading Engen his Miranda rights, he admitted to the officers that he drank before driving — two 12-ounce Coors Light beers at White Bear Bar, the report states. Engen said he drank them between 11 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. and didn’t believe the alcohol would affect his driving capabilities, the report states.
Engen was charged with two misdemeanors — a fourth-degree DWI and a fourth-degree DUI.
Another officer searched Engen’s passengers for weapons before driving them to the police station, the report states.
After handing over his weapon, Hudson showed the officer a valid license and his concealed permit-to-carry. Hudson’s firearm, magazines and holster were confiscated, according to the report.
Hudson could face a misdemeanor for carrying a firearm while intoxicated. During an arrest an officer may require a person with a permit to carry to submit to a BAC test to determine how intoxicated they might be. It is not known if White Bear Lake officers did so in this case.
As of March 31, Hudson had not been charged with a crime related to the Engen arrest.
Permit-to-carry holders are permitted to have a blood alcohol concentration of .04 or lower while carrying. A reading over a .04 is a mandatory suspension of the permit for six months. If a permit to carry holder has a blood alcohol concentration above .10, then their permit is revoked and they cannot reapply for one year after conviction.
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