Story originally printed in the Tomah Journal or online at www.tomahjournal.com

Published - Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Man faces fifth OWI offense

A traffic stop for speeding turned into the fifth drunk driving violation for a Minnesota man on Tomah’s north side.

Officer Eric Pedersen pulled over Adam Evavold for speeding near Kwik Trip during the early morning hours on Wednesday. While the traffic stop was being conducted in the Kwik Trip parking lot, Officer Pedersen noticed an open intoxicant in the center console of the vehicle.

According to the police report, Evavold had slow movements and his hand slipped off the window-down button while opening the window. He was reported to have glossy and bloodshot eyes.

Evavold, 25, of Grand Forks, Minn., handed Officer Pedersen Minnesota identification. Pedersen said in the police report that Evavold gave off a strong scent of alcohol. When asked how much he had to drink that night, Evavold said, “Probably too much.”

Evavold failed a horizontal gaze nystagmus test, a walk and turn test, and a leg stand test. He had a .222 blood alcohol concentration. Evavold told police that he had been arrested for drunk driving twice before it was later revealed that Wednesday’s Operating Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated charge was at least his fifth offense. He was also charged for not having a valid driver’s license. He was booked in the Monroe County Jail and a passenger was ticketed for having an open intoxicant in a motor vehicle.

All stories copyright 2006 Tomah Journal and other attributed sources.