Overview
- Engen, stopped by White Bear Lake police early Friday around 1:51 a.m., was pulled over for speeding, an expired registration, and a broken headlight before a breath test registered a 0.13 blood alcohol level.
- He was booked into the Ramsey County jail on a fourth-degree DWI, a misdemeanor under Minnesota law, and was released a short time later after the case was sent to the city prosecutor.
- Charging status differed in initial reports, with TV outlets saying charges were not yet filed Friday morning while Minnesota Reformer cited records listing two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree DWI and DUI.
- Engen is a second-term Republican representing the Lino Lakes and White Bear Township area and is running for state auditor, and House Speaker Lisa Demuth said she was disappointed and would consider consequences as the legal process plays out.
- The arrest places both major-party auditor candidates in Minnesota in the spotlight for DWI incidents, reflecting a broader pattern of recent impaired-driving cases involving state lawmakers.