Rep. Elliott Engen (left) and Rep. Walter Hudson (right) (Supplied)
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A new police report shows that Rep. Walter Hudson was a passenger in the vehicle during Rep. Elliot Engen's recent drunk driving arrest and was carrying a concealed handgun that was taken by White Bear Lake officers.
Rep. Engen's traffic stop
The backstory:
White Bear Lake police said last week that Engen was pulled over in the early morning hours of March 27 for speeding, an expired registration, and a broken headlight.
According to the police report, Rep. Engen tried to explain that he had gone to Valvoline to fix the headlights, but they had been unable to repair the blown bulb.
The report states that when officers approached the vehicle, Engen told police he was "sober cabbing" for the two other passengers in the vehicle who he said had been drinking. Only one of the passengers is identified in the report: Rep. Walter Hudson.
Dig deeper:
In the report, as police spoke with Engen, the officer stated, "the odor of the alcoholic beverage became stronger."
The officer asked Engen if he had been drinking and Engen denied it, saying, "No, nothing at all."
However, the officer noted Engen's clothes were disheveled, and his shirt was halfway unbuttoned.
Engen ultimately underwent sobriety tests and failed. On breath tests, Engen registered a .13 blood-alcohol content level. He was later booked on a misdemeanor charge of 4th-degree driving while intoxicated.
Later admissions:
According to the report, Engen would later admit he had drinks "three hours ago," then said it had actually been "almost two and a half hours."
Engen agreed to speak with officers without an attorney and admitted to drinking two 12-ounce Coors Light beers between 11 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. at White Bear Bar. He didn't think the beers would have affected his ability to drive.
The report shows Engen doubted the accuracy of the test results and requested additional tests at the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center.
Rep. Hudson's gun taken
More details:
According to the report, as the stop continued, the officer spotted a bottle of liquor tucked into a child's car seat. According to the report, Rep. Walter Hudson admitted the bottle belonged to him.
Rep. Hudson also notified officers that he was carrying a concealed weapon, a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol. Officers removed the gun from Hudson's waistband and confirmed Hudson had a valid permit.
The officer informed him they were going to hold the firearm for safekeeping. Hudson was told he could pick up the gun at a later time.
What we don't know:
The report makes no mention of police testing Rep. Hudson's blood alcohol level. In Minnesota, it is against the law to carry a weapon with a BAC above .04.