Dakota County District Judge Arrested For DWI
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP/WCCO) -- St. Paul police arrested Dakota County District Judge Michael Vann Sovis on suspicion of drunken driving after smashing into three parked cars on Christmas Eve.
Sovis, 63, was arrested after allegedly driving into parked cars in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood. He now faces two gross misdemeanor charges.
Police spokesperson Howie Padilla says police were called about 7:50 p.m. Monday and found a sport utility vehicle had struck three parked cars. Padilla says the SUV was on a nearby snowbank, and the driver -- identified as Sovis -- showed signs of impairment.
Padilla tells the St. Paul Pioneer Press that neither Sovis nor the woman in the SUV needed medical attention.
According to a criminal complaint: Sovis told officers that he drank six beverages containing vodka. Field sobriety tests showed he was impaired, the complaint said, because he had "great difficulty" completing a particular task after multiple attempts. In a preliminary breath test, Sovis blew a .225. In a later test, he blew a .28.
Sovis was booked into Ramsey County jail on suspicion of third-degree driving while impaired. He was released Tuesday after posting $12,000 bond.
A message left for Sovis was not immediately returned Thursday.
Sovis is charged with one count of third-degree driving while impaired and one count of driving with a blood-alcohol level of more than .08. If convicted of both charges, he faces a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison and/or a $6,000 fine.
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