By Dawn Slade
Mille Lacs County Times

The roadway is not the only place one can get nabbed for DWI.

Christopher Michael DeCoursey, 27, of Isle is facing DWI charges for drinking then driving  a snowmobile on Friday, Dec. 26.

According to the criminal complaint, an Isle Police officer on routine patrol was notified anonymously around 11 p.m. that there was a stranded snowmobile on the Soo Line Trail.

The officer drove north on Hennepin Avenue until he neared the Soo Line Trail where he could see a snowmobile, which had its headlight on and appeared to be moving.

The officer kept a watch on the snowmobile and as he approached, the headlight was shut off. DeCoursey, the snowmobile driver, then got off the sled and walked toward the officer.

According to the criminal complaint, when DeCoursey approached, the officer could smell a strong odor of alcohol and saw the suspect’s eyes were red and watery.

With slurred speech, the driver told the officer the problem was with a spark plug. The officer noted DeCoursey’s unsteady balance.

While checking DeCoursey’s driver’s license with dispatch, a man approached the officer and said someone had complained about the suspect driving snowmobile in her yard. He wanted to tell DeCoursey to stay out of her yard.

DeCoursey failed the field sobriety tests, but said he wanted to take a personal Breathalyzer test (PBT).

The officer called a sheriff’s deputy to administer the PBT, however while waiting for the deputy to arrive, DeCoursey threatened to run and told the officer he wouldn’t be able to catch him.

The PBT showed DeCoursey’s blood alcohol content to be .223 percent (the legal limit is .08).

When the officer went to place DeCoursey under arrest, he said, “no,” put his hands in his pocket and started walking backwards away from the officers.

The deputy put DeCoursey on the ground and while attempting to place handcuffs on him, DeCoursey put his hands under his body and tried to pick himself up.

When he was warned that a taser would be used on him if he didn’t put his hands behind his back, DeCoursey refused. When the deputy used the taser on DeCoursey, he told the deputy to get better batteries for the taser.

DeCoursey then got up and ran northbound on Hennepin Avenue.

The officer grabbed DeCoursey and then DeCoursey tried to hit the officer.

After a struggle, the officers were finally able to handcuff DeCoursey and get him in the squad car. He was taken to the Mille Lacs Health System before being transported to the Mille Lacs County Jail.

DeCoursey has been charged with obstructing legal process, two counts of fourth degree driving while impaired and fleeing a police officer.

He faces up to one year in jail for obstructing legal process.

DeCoursey was released on his own recognizance on Monday, Dec. 29.