An Eagan man is accused of drunk driving for the sixth time in eleven years, according to the charges filed against him in Dakota County Court.
James Michael Fossen, 29, has been charged with four counts of DWI and one count of driving after cancellation inimical to public safety in connection with the latest arrest, which occurred on May 18.
According to the report, Eagan police spotted Fossen driving a vehicle around 7:44 p.m. and he was traveling at a speed of 56 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone near Surrey Heights Drive.
After discovering that Fossen’s license was canceled inimical to public safety, the officer placed him under arrest. The officer noted that he smelled the strong odor of alcohol on Fossen. Fossen told the officer that he had not been drinking. He then either refused to take field sobriety tests or he failed them, according to the complaint.
He did take a breath test and registered a blood alcohol concentration of almost twice the legal driving limit of .08. A review of Fossen’s past revealed that he has had five previous DWI convictions. They occurred in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2009. The offenses that occurred in 2007 and 2009 were felony convictions. He went to prison for the conviction in 2009 and was released in January of 2011. His license was canceled in December 2012.
If Fossen is convicted of his newest alleged offenses, he could face up to $59,000 in fines and 29 years in prison.
