Category Archives: South Dakota

Mitchell, SD: 14-year-old charged with DUI. Dad in passenger seat allegedly intoxicated as well | mitchellrepublic.com

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A 14-year-old boy was arrested Aug. 5 for allegedly driving with a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit with his allegedly intoxicated father in the passenger seat.

Jay Robert Parker Jr. and his father, Jay Robert Parker, 49, both of Mitchell, were arrested shortly after midnight on Interstate 90 near mile marker 323, about four miles east of Mount Vernon.

According to an affidavit prepared by Davison County Sheriff’s Deputy Steve Harr, authorities received two traffic complaints that involved the car allegedly being driven by the younger Parker.

After catching up with the vehicle, Harr noticed it was swerving erratically and activated his lights and siren, the report states, but the vehicle did not stop for another four miles.

When Harr approached the vehicle, he saw the younger Parker in the driver’s seat with his father seated next to him in the passenger seat, according to the affidavit. After allegedly performing poorly on a series of sobriety tests, the younger Parker was arrested for drunken driving.

His blood alcohol was 0.165 at the time of his arrest, the report says. The legal limit for driving in South Dakota is 0.08.

Authorities allegedly noticed the elder Parker smelled strongly of alcohol and had watery eyes, and found an open bottle of alcohol in the vehicle. No blood alcohol level is listed with the court documents associated with his arrest.

The elder Parker is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and open alcohol container in a vehicle.

via Reportedly drunken father and son both arrested after traffic stop | The Daily Republic | Mitchell, South Dakota.

Pope Co., MN: Basketball coach at Southwest Minnesota State in critical condition after crash that killed son | washingtonpost.com

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Dana Schoen

Brad Bigler, the men’s basketball coach at Southwest Minnesota State University, was in critical condition Sunday after a two-vehicle crash in western Minnesota that killed his 5-month-old son and injured two other relatives.

Bigler, 33, was hospitalized in Sioux Falls, S.D., with several broken ribs and a broken shoulder blade, SMSU athletic director Chris Hmielewski said. Drake Phillip Bigler, the coach’s young son, was killed in the crash.

“Obviously it’s a tragedy when you lose a young family member,” Hmielewski told the Independent of Marshall. “The thoughts and prayers of the entire Mustang family and everybody should go out to the Bigler family as they cope with this situation.”

Bigler has been head coach of the SMSU men’s basketball program for three years. The Mustangs finished 19-11 last season, winning the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament championship and making their third-ever appearance in the Division II tournament.

Bigler’s wife, Heather Bigler, was driving in Pope County on Saturday evening when a truck driven by Dana Schoen, 38, of Starbuck, crossed the center line and struck her vehicle, the Minnesota State Patrol said.

All four people in Bigler’s vehicle were hurt. Heather Bigler suffered minor injuries, and her 74-year-old grandmother, Sharon Schuler of Granite Falls, was left in critical condition, authorities said.

The State Patrol said alcohol was detected in the Schoen’s system, and is suspected as a factor in the crash.

State records show that Schoen had been convicted of gross misdemeanor drunken driving in 2005 and for driving under the influence in 2000, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. In both cases, the man’s blood-alcohol content was greater than 0.20, or 2½ times the legal limit in Minnesota.

read more here >  Basketball coach at Southwest Minn. State in critical condition after crash that killed son – The Washington Post.

Mitchell, SD | Drunk Driver Gets 40 Years For Killing Girl | keloland.com

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A Davison County Judge sentenced 46-year-old Michael Sedlmeier to 40 years in prison.

The Mitchell man led police on a chase at speeds of 59 miles per hour through town in March.  He ran a stop sign and hit an SUV carrying several children, including Iszabella “Bella” Morgan, who was ejected from the vehicle and killed.

read more here > KELOLAND.com | Drunk Driver Gets 40 Years For Killing Girl.

Souix Falls: 8th DWI costs man 180 days in jail on 10-year sentence | KDLT.com

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A Sioux Falls man with 8 DWI convictions is headed to jail. John Ronald Wheeler, who is 45, will spend 180 days behind bars at the Minnehaha County Jail.  Circuit Court Judge Bradley Zell also gave him a 10-year suspended sentence, which means time at the South Dakota State Penitentiary if Wheeler doesn’t stay out of trouble.

Wheeler was involved in a hit and run December 4, 2011 in Sioux Falls. When police tracked down his 2001 Chevy S-10 Blazer they found a shotgun, marijuana, a half full bottle of beer and a bow and arrow inside,

A blood test revealed Wheeler’s blood alcohol was .28, which is more than 3 times the legal limit. Although According to Minnehaha County Deputy State’s Attorney, Randy Sample, Wheeler has 8 career DWI convictions he was sentenced for a DWI 5th offense.

full story here > KDLT.com South Dakota News – Sioux Falls Man To Jail For 8th Career DWI.

Souix Falls, SD: Alleged drunk driver charged after crashing into 3 kids on bikes | KELOLAND.com

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Accused Drunk Driver Charged After Crash With Kids

Mark A. Davis

The driver accused of hitting three kids on their bikes is facing his third drunk driving charge.

Authorities say 30-year-old Mark A. Davis of Sioux Falls was drunk when he hit the boys around 9:30 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of Sundowner Avenue and 85th Street near Tea.  In addition to a possible third DWI, Davis is facing three counts vehicular battery; a class four felony.

“Makes me cry,” Tanya Knutson said.

Knutson was on her way home Sunday night at the time of the accident.  She said the surrounding area near Sundowner Avenue is normally pretty dark at night, but something caught her attention.

“We saw lots of cars stopped and pulled up and I saw three little boys laying beside the road.  They were covered in dirt; their bikes were mangled and they were crying,” Knutson said.  “The one little boy held his hand up and his wrist was pretty mangled.  I’m pretty sure it was broken.”

Knutson tried to help the three boys, who were conscious and looked to be about ten years old.  Authorities gave Davis and a sobriety test before he was arrested. He now faces a total of 30 years for battery charges and two years for drunk driving.

full story here > KELOLAND.com | Accused Drunk Driver Charged After Crash With Kids.

Mitchell, SD: Fatal DUI could end in life prison term. Driver’s 3rd DUI. The Argus Leader

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A Mitchell man accused of driving drunk, fleeing police and ramming a car full of youngsters in a fatal collision last month could go to prison for the rest of his life under an indictment filed in Davison County.

A grand jury in Mitchell voted to indict Michael Ray Sedlmeier, 46, on three counts of first-degree manslaughter in addition to charges of aggravated eluding, hit-and-run causing death or injury, vehicular homicide, third-offense DUI and reckless driving for the March 24 wreck.

Sedlmeier was arrested on the new charges Wednesday at the Davison County Jail, where he remains in custody on a $500,000 cash bond.

read more … DUI could end in life prison term | The Argus Leader | argusleader.com.

Anoka man gets 10 years in prison for DWI death of S.D. teen – TwinCities.com

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DE SMET, S.D. – A Twin Cities man who acknowledged driving drunk and killing a South Dakota teenager has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Twenty-eight-year-old James Harris of Anoka was sentenced in a Kingsbury County courtroom on Tuesday. Harris earlier pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree manslaughter and drunken driving stemming from the Sept. 23 death of 16-year-old Zachary Eichstadt.

via Anoka man gets 10 years in prison for DWI death of S.D. teen – TwinCities.com.