By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
The continued decline in DWI cases countywide is a positive sign, according to Rice County law enforcement. After a spike in DWIs in 2021 and 2022, DWI counts declined in 2023 and 2024.
According to figures from the Rice County Safe Roads Coalition, county law enforcement officers issued 238 DWI citations in 2024. That’s slightly more than 4.5 per week.
While the evidence is primarily anecdotal, Northfield Sgt. Kevin Tussing, who coordinated the county’s Toward Zero Deaths grant for the last two years, believes that if the “drive sober” message weren’t getting out, there would be a lot more drunken driving crashes.
Alcohol isn’t suspected in four of the five fatal crashes so far this year. The cause of the fifth, which took place Nov. 22 in Faribault, hasn’t yet been determined.
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Despite the positive data, law enforcement isn’t about to stop spreading safe-driving messages or conducting extra enforcement. Mike Hanson is with the Minnesota Office for Traffic Safety:
Our law enforcement partners are completely committed to making this a safe holiday season for everyone. They are absolutely 150% committed to making sure that if an impaired driver makes that faithful decision to get behind the wheel, they go one place and one place only, and that’s to jail.” – Mike Hanson, Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, Audio Courtesy of the Minnesota News Network
At the beginning of the month, the Rice County Towards Zero Deaths Coalition, which includes law enforcement, public health, and highway staff, held its annual enforcement kickoff as part of a statewide campaign. Where data, strategies, and awards for the campaign were presented.
As of Nov. 24, preliminary data shows that 342 people have died so far this year on Minnesota roads. From 2020 to 24, there were 668 alcohol-related driving deaths in Minnesota and 1,926 serious injuries from alcohol-related crashes.
During Wednesday’s kickoff, the coalition recognized three officers:
- Faribault Police Officer Billy Madson issued 14 DWIs, the highest number of all Rice County law enforcement in the 2024-25 grant year, which earned him a 2025 DWI Enforcer All-Star honorable mention from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
- Rice County Deputy Sheriff Benjamin Borash issued 12 citations for violating the hands-free driving law in four hours during the April 29 extra enforcement wave.
- Rice County Deputy Sheriff William Dopp issued 16 speeding citations and one no seat belt citation in five hours during the Aug. 20 extra enforcement campaign. He was also recognized as having issued more than 2,000 citations in the prior year
Both Borash and Dopp received Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety challenge coins, which signify honor, respect, loyalty, and integrity.
Sheriff Jesse Thomas welcomes the activity by law enforcement.
“I encourage my patrol deputies to make traffic stops, he said, seeing the effect as two-fold. “One, It helps keep drivers safe when they are stopped and allows us to point out their violations so they can correct bad driving habits. And two, it helps prevent crime in our communities by being visible to those who may be up to no good.”
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