Minnesota State Trooper charged for DWI in Fridley

Minnesota Trooper Christopher Daas has been charged with DWI for driving while impaired and for refusing to take a chemical test, according to the criminal complaint from Anoka County.

Daas was arrested for driving while impaired by Fridley Police around 3:05 a.m. on Thursday June 2.

According to the criminal complaint, dispatch had received a call that a vehicle had hit multiple signs as it was traveling westbound on Osborne Road NE in Fridley. The caller told dispatch that the vehicle had also driven westbound in the road's eastbound lane. The truck then turned left on University Ave NE when it went into the median and got stuck. 

Officers found the black truck in the median with "significant wheel and axle damage." Police also found three damaged street signs on Osborne Road NE and the truck's matching step-plate in another median.

Police noted that Daas' breath smelled strongly of alcohol and he also had watery, bloodshot eyes. When the officer Daas how much he had to drink, Daas said "too much." Daas refused to take field sobriety tests or a breath test. Since he refused a test, no BAC was released.

Daas has been a trooper since March of 2004. He has one complaint on his record that resulted in a 5-day suspension for conduct in 2011.

"State Troopers are dedicated to removing impaired drivers from the road, and that's why this incident is disturbing,” said Col. Matt Langer, Chief of the Minnesota State Patrol. “Chris Daas' alleged behavior does not reflect our core values as an organization, nor does it demonstrate our expectations for troopers, whether on- or off-duty."

In 2005, Daas was struck by a drunk driver while on patrol in Forest Lake, Minn. He sustained a broken collarbone in that crash. In 2008, Daas was named a Minnesota State Patrol DWI All-Star, with 123 impaired driving arrests.

Sgt. Daas has received one life saving award, one meritorious service award and one letter of commendation during his State Patrol career. In 2015, Daas was given the Department of Public Safety’s Meritorious Award. While responding to a call of a person driving on a blown tire with sparks flying, he found the car engulfed in flames. Daas cut away the seat belt and, with the help of a Brooklyn Center police officer, pulled the driver through the window to safety.