MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis police arrested a former city council member for DWI after they say she refused to cooperate and tried to flee the traffic stop.
Alondra Espejel, 44, who went by the name Alondra Cano while in office, is charged with DWI and refusing to submit a breath test.
DWI arrest of former Minneapolis city council member
Crash and arrest:
Police say they responded to a crash in the 300 block of 4th Street South just before 11:15 p.m.
They found a Honda CR-V, driven by Alondra Espejel, had crashed into a parked vehicle.
Officers say she was recording them when they approached and refused to provide her driver's license and proof of insurance when they asked.
Espejel then reportedly put her vehicle in drive, and tried to leave the traffic stop, prompting the officer to open the vehicle door and shut off the engine.
Police say she also appeared to have slurred speech and bloodshot eyes and refused to leave the vehicle. She was then removed from the vehicle and placed in a squad while officers spoke to crash witnesses.
Witnesses told police he saw the CR-V honking and accelerating before crashing into the parked vehicle, according to the criminal complaint.
Espejel was asked to perform field sobriety tests, which she struggled to complete. Officers noted her inability to maintain balance and slurred speech. Despite agreeing to the tests, her performance led officers to terminate the process for her safety.
Jail and breath test refusal:
Espejel was taken in for a breath test, where she refused to comply without a lawyer present, according to the criminal complaint. However, she made no attempt to contact an attorney.
After being read the breath test advisory, she said she did not understand. When the officer asked which part she did not understand, she reportedly could not articulate an answer.
She is now charged with refusal to submit to a breath test.
The Source: This story uses information shared in a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County Court.