St. Cloud Man Arrested for 9th Drunk Driving Offense - This Time in St. Croix County

ST CROIX COUNTY, WI — A St. Cloud man was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of his ninth drunk driving offense after authorities noticed his vehicle was emitting sparks because he was driving without a tire.

According to authorities, Shawn Allen Harstad, 47 years of age, from St. Cloud, Minnesota has been arrested by the Wisconsin State Patrol Eau Claire Post for operating a motor vehicle under the influence, 9th offense.

At approximately 12:27 a.m., a WI State Patrol Trooper stopped a vehicle after observing it emitting sparks while being driven on one of it’s brake rotors with a tire missing. A State Trooper reportedly arrested Harstad near the I-94 westbound exit 2 offramp in St. Croix County.

According to authorities, the driver identified himself to the trooper as Shawn A. Harstad age 47, from St. Cloud, MN. A subsequent record check showed that Mr. Harstad had eight prior convictions for OWI.

"Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty."

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