Morton man sentenced for fleeing police officers while DWI

A Morton man was convicted in Redwood County District Court this month for fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle and driving while intoxicated.

According to court documents, on June 10 of this year, at about 2:10 a.m., a Redwood Falls police officer noted a vehicle driving at 64 mph on the shoulder of East Bridge Street, then swerving across the center line of the road near the intersection with Quality Drive. The car, still in a 55 mph zone, failed to stop at the stop sign at County Road 1.

The officer flashed his emergency lights, but the vehicle didn’t stop, but swerved onto County Road 24. When the officer turned on his siren, the suspect vehicle increased its speed. The vehicle finally stopped near the intersection with Nobles Avenue.

The officer identified the driver as Demetri William Means, age 23, who admitted drinking, and who failed all field sobriety tests, and whose drivers licence had been revoked. Also present in the vehicle was a juvenile under the age of 16.

On Nov. 8, Means was sentenced for fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and for driving while impaired in the third degree. He was sentenced to 365 days local confinement, 335 days stayed for two years with credit for three days time served, for two years supervised probation, and fines and fees.