Minnesota Appeals Court judge charged with DWI after snowbank crash

OWATONNA, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Minnesota Court of Appeals judge is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after a Steele County Sheriff's Deputy found her and her vehicle stuck in a snowbank.

Minnesota judge charged with DWI

What we know:

Renee Lee Worke, 67, is charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and registering a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of more than .08 two hours after the incident that occurred in Owatonna on Nov. 29.

According to charges filed in Steele County, around 9:13 p.m. a Steele County Sheriff's Deputy found a vehicle stuck in a snowbank, facing eastbound on the south shoulder, presenting a road hazard on Highway 14 at the Interstate 35 overpass.

When a second deputy approached her window as part of an investigation, Worke allegedly said she had been visiting friends in Waseca and admitted to having "one glass of wine approximately two hours prior," according to charges.

When asked how she was feeling, she reportedly answered, "I'm totally fine." 

While speaking, deputies say they observed her eyes being bloodshot and glossy, and an odor of alcohol coming from her breath. She also had "slurred speech and slow motor function," according to charges.

When asked to step out of her vehicle, the charges note that "her balance was unsteady, and she required assistance while walking back to the squad car."

A breath test taken at 10:02 p.m. showed Worke’s BAC to be .16 at the time of reading – two times the legal limit.

Worke's test results measured within two hours of driving and having an alcohol concentration of 0.16 or more is listed as an "aggravating factor" in charging documents.