Minnesota DFL State Sen. Tou Xiong arrested on suspicion of 2nd DWI
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MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (FOX 9) - Sen. Tou Xiong (DFL-Maplewood) was arrested on suspicion of DWI in Maplewood, his second one, Thursday morning.
DFL Senator arrested for DWI
What we know:
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, around 2:40 a.m. a trooper stopped a Honda CR-V near Highway 36 and McKnight Road in Maplewood.
The driver, 34-year-old Sen. Tou Xiong, was arrested on suspicion of DWI, authorities said.
Sen. Xiong blew a .09 blood alcohol level after a breath test, and was ultimately booked into Ramsey County Jail for third-degree DWI. The legal limit in Minnesota is below .08.
The state senator was booked into jail just before 4 a.m. and was released around 6:40 a.m.
What they're saying:
Sen. Xiong sent the following statement regarding the arrest:
"While driving home after attending a family gathering, I was pulled over near my home and was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. I take full responsibility for my actions, and sincerely apologize to my constituents and the people I’ve let down. I want to thank law enforcement for doing their job to keep the roads safe. Today, I have begun the work of talking to my family and to my Senate colleagues about the situation."
2nd DWI for Xiong
The backstory:
Sen. Xiong was arrested in 2022 for DWI, back when he was a state representative.
Xiong was pulled over on Jan. 8, 2022 by a Blaine police officer. Xiong said he was leaving a "community gathering."
Xiong pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving, and was given a year of probation.