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Charges: Woman Can't Operate Ignition System In 4th DWI Arrest

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 35-year-old Farmington woman is accused of driving drunk, attempting to flee police failing to start a car with the ignition interlock system designed to prevent drunk driving, according to charges filed Monday in Dakota County Court.

Jennifer Lynn Brody was charged with one felony count of DWI, one gross misdemeanor count of obstructing the police process and one misdemeanor count of fleeing police in connection with the incident.

According to a complaint, a Dakota County sheriff's deputy observed a vehicle at about 11:28 p.m. last Tuesday in Empire Township driving with an inoperable license plate light. The officer followed the vehicle and watched it drive onto a solid white fog line.

Authorities pulled the driver, Brody, over and she told police she had a restricted license that showed she had the ignition interlock device installed on her vehicle. The device forces the driver to blow into a blood alcohol test, and the car will only start if the driver is below the .08 limit for driving in Minnesota. Brody has several previous DWI convictions within the last 10 years on her criminal record, the complaint states.

Brody told police she had just gotten off work, and authorities could smell alcohol coming from her vehicle. She attempted to start the ignition interlock system with police monitoring and failed several times. She failed several sobriety tests and was arrested for driving under the influence.

According to the complaint, she had to be told several times to put her hands behind her back and not to resist. After arguing with the officer and at least one time getting out of the handcuffs, she tried to push the officer and get out of his grasp.

The two got into a struggle before Brody got free and fled the scene on foot. The officer eventually tased Brody, and she fell to the ground, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, she was convicted three previous times for DWI.

If convicted, she faces more than eight years in prison and $18,000 in fines.

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