The Minnesota Supreme Court upheld a ruling about a Beltrami County DWI conviction in which the defendant had a canceled license while operating on private property.
The case was appealed on the grounds that a driver’s license cancelation, with the DAC-IPS classification, prohibits a person from driving on public roadways, not private property.
When approached by the Beltrami County Deputy in November 2019, the individual was on a private drive and appeared to be preparing to turn onto the public roadway. The male defendant also showed signs of intoxication.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed the district’s court decision to deny the defendant’s motion to dismiss the evidence on the grounds that it was on private property, with the case ultimately falling to the state’s highest court.
Sheriff Jason Riggs said that this case demonstrates the legal process, making its way through several levels of checks and balances.
