BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — A disgraced former city councilman closed the books on a criminal case by pleading guilty to DWI and fleeing police in an incident that ultimately led to his resignation.
Court documents show that one-time Robbinsdale City Council member Tyler Kline entered guilty pleas Tuesday to one felony count of fleeing an officer and two gross misdemeanors of DWI.
A criminal complaint filed against Kline says the incident occurred early the morning of Jan. 24, when Crystal police officers responded to reports of a crash on Highway 100 near Brooklyn Boulevard involving a vehicle driving the wrong way.
By the time officers arrived the driver, later identified as Kline, had fled the scene of the accident and continued driving southbound in the northbound lanes. Squads caught up and made multiple attempts to make Kline pull over before they were finally able to stop the vehicle.
At that point, the complaint alleges, Kline refused to exit the vehicle and officers had to physically remove him from the driver's seat. They said he smelled strongly of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and poor balance.
Kline agreed to a breathalyzer, which measured his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at .20, more than twice Minnesota's legal limit.
Initially Kline said he would refuse to give up his seat on the council, but the Star Tribune reported that a recall effort convinced him to resign on May 27.
Kline is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 12.
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