State Rep. Elliott Engen, a 27-year-old Republican from Lino Lakes who is running for Minnesota state auditor, was arrested early Friday in White Bear Lake on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. White Bear Lake police stopped his vehicle shortly before 2 a.m. he was booked into the Ramsey County Jail at 4:42 a.m. A preliminary breath test recorded a blood-alcohol concentration of .13, and he was released from custody in under two hours.
Charges and booking details
Records show Engen was booked on two misdemeanor counts, fourth-degree DUI and fourth-degree DWI, according to the state's VINELink booking entry. The VINELink entry lists the charges, and the arrest timestamp, and registry and jail records align with the reported timeline of the stop and release.
Police account of the stop
White Bear Lake police said in a news release that officers pulled Engen over after observing speeding, an expired registration, and an inoperable headlight. The department reported a preliminary breath-test reading of .13 and posted the statement on its official Facebook page the same morning as the arrest. The release did not indicate whether investigators requested any additional testing, such as a blood draw.
Campaign timing and reaction
Engen is a candidate for Minnesota state auditor and was scheduled to appear at a fundraiser in downtown White Bear Lake that same night, according to the Star Tribune. The paper reports that a Capitol staffer posted about seeing Engen earlier Thursday afternoon in downtown St. Paul, and that Engen later spoke during an extended House floor debate. Engen did not respond to multiple requests for comment, according to the Star Tribune's reporting.
Other lawmakers and DWI cases
The arrest adds to a recent string of impaired-driving cases involving sitting lawmakers. KSTP reported that DFL Rep. Dan Wolgamott pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree DWI in 2023, while CBS Minnesota covered the 2023 charges against Rep. Brion Curran, and local reporting also noted that Rep. Matt Grossell pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree DWI last year. Those prior cases resulted in plea deals, probation, or suspended jail sentences and drew public scrutiny of elected officials' conduct.
Legal context
Fourth-degree driving while impaired is classified as a misdemeanor under Minnesota law. Misdemeanor DWI convictions can carry criminal penalties and court-ordered assessments, and convicted defendants commonly face jail time of up to roughly 90 days for misdemeanor DWI, fines, and administrative license consequences, according to legal summaries and statutory guidance. For the statutory language, see Minnesota statutes and related legal resources.
What comes next
Booking records currently reflect the arrest and release; any formal charging decision and future court dates will appear in county case filings. The Ramsey County District Court handles arraignments and case calendars for matters originating in the county, according to the state's court site.
