If you are driving along a Minnesota highway and a police officer pulls you over in a traffic stop, there could be negative implications. If you are suspected of DWI, however, things might get a lot worse before they get better, especially if you happen to be carrying a pistol at the time.
What Minnesota law says about carrying a pistol while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
It is a crime to carry a pistol in Minnesota when under the influence of alcohol or drugs, when a person’s alcohol concentration is .10 or more, or when the person’s alcohol concentration is more than .04 but less than .10. A first offense is a misdemeanor subjecting a person to a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and or a $1,000 fine. Any subsequent violation is a gross misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of 1 year in jail and or a $3,000 fine. The later penalty does not apply to those persons whose alcohol concentration is more than .04 but less than .10.
If you are found to have violated one of these laws, your pistol permit will be revoked, and the pistol possibly forfeited by the State
For those person’s found to have violated the provisions of carrying a pistol while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or those having an alcohol concentration of .10 or more will have their carry permit revoked for one year from the date of conviction and their pistol will be subject to forfeiture by the State. For those found to have violated the provision of having an alcohol concentration of more than .04 but less than .10, they will have their permit suspended 180 days from the date of conviction, but the pistol is not subject to forfeiture.
Things to know if you are arrested for a DWI while Carrying a Pistol
If you are charged with drunk driving and or carrying a pistol while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you are afforded the same opportunities to refute the charges against you that any other defendant facing criminal charges would be. In such circumstances, you would have several important decisions to make, such as whether to plead guilty or not guilty in court.
The decisions you make may have a significant outcome on your case, which is why you want to make sure you seek clarification of not only the DWI laws but Pistol Carry laws before you take any legal action.
