A Wadena man allegedly attempted to blame a DWI related accident on an "imaginary" driver this past winter.
On the evening of December 30, 2011, Officer Ronald Noon arrived on scene where he observed tire tracks in the snow where a vehicle had been sliding sideways for about 150 feet before jumping the curb and slamming into a tree in the front yard of a Wadena residence, according to court documents.
Not shortly after Officer Noon arrived, Derek Michael Wiirre, 32, appeared from the direction of his home, not far from the scene of the accident. Wiirre's sister also appeared from that direction, in obvious pain from the accident. Noon noticed that Wiirre was staggering as he walked and had blood around his mouth from some sort of impact, said court documents.
Officer Noon inquired if the truck was his, and Wiirre said it was but wasn't yet in his name.
Wiirre then proceeded to tell the officer that he and his sister had been at the bar but were too drunk to drive home, so he allowed "some guy he didn't know" to drive them. He stated that he had been seated in the back and his sister had been in the passenger's seat.
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Wiirre said that upon impact, his teeth had been knocked out and the driver had fled the scene leaving the pair in the vehicle, said court records.
Officer Noon had the two sit in the back of his squad car while awaiting an ambulance. Upon observation of the scene, Noon saw no footprints leading away from the truck down the street and no proof that anyone had sat in the back seat of the vehicle. However, he did find pieces of teeth on the front driver's seat and floorboards.
Officer Noon interviewed a tenant of the residence that had been damaged, who stated that he didn't see who the driver was, but indicated it was thin white male, according to court documents. The keys to the vehicle were found on Wiirre's person.
Alcohol was apparent on both him and his sister while they were being transported to a nearby hospital. Officer Grabe met with Wiirre at the hospital to read him the Minnesota Motor Vehicle Implied Consent Advisory, at which point Wiirre became somewhat belligerent, said court records. He asked to consult an attorney and attempted to stall a BCA test by asking for x-rays that he had refused earlier.
Officer Noon questioned individuals at the bar where the pair had been earlier that night, and they confirmed that they had been there but no one had seen them leave with anyone else. Wiirre had a .14 blood alcohol concentration, according to court documents. Wiirre has had one prior DWI conviction in the past 10 years from March 2011.
