Cloquet officer gets probation for DUI

A Cloquet police officer was sentenced in Carlton County Court Monday after admitting he crashed his vehicle and fled the scene this summer, while under the influence of alcohol.

Andrew Michael Murry, 34, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving while impaired, with an alcohol concentration .08 within two hours. He was placed on one year of supervised probation Monday by Carlton County Sixth District Judge Rebekka Stumme, who stayed a 90-day jail sentence and imposed a $1,000 highway patrol fine in the case. Murray represented himself.

As part of a plea deal, two misdemeanor fourth-degree DWI charges were dismissed, along with one count of collision with an unattended vehicle or object and failure to notify. Murray will have to attend a DWI clinic, attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving impact panel and may not use alcohol or other controlled substances. He must also obtain a chemical use assessment and follow recommendations for treatment and aftercare.

Murray crashed his Pontiac G6 near 223 Gillespie Road in Carlton on Aug. 6, and then ran into the woods near South Terrace Elementary School, according to a Minnesota State Patrol incident report. In addition to the MSP, Cloquet and Fond du Lac police officers assisted at the scene. Murray was located a short time later and taken into custody without incident.

According to the MSP report, during the course of the investigation, the trooper observed that Murray showed signs of impairment. He was transported to Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet and a search warrant obtained for a blood sample (to determine blood alcohol content, or BAC). Murray was off duty at the time of the crash.

According to the MSP report, Murray remained at the hospital for further medical treatment. He was never taken to the Carlton County jail.

Duluth attorney Shawn Reed prosecuted the case because of Murray’s position as a police officer and the potential for a conflict of interest with the Cloquet City Attorney’s office and the Carlton County Attorney’s office. In response to the Pine Knot News Wednesday, Reed said he did not know Murray’s exact BAC level.

Since his arrest in August, Murray has been on paid, nondisciplinary administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal investigation. Now that the criminal case is settled, Cloquet Police Chief Derek Randall told the Pine Knot News that an internal investigation comes next.

“We are currently waiting for some staff to come back from quarantine before we proceed,” Randall said.

Murray has been with the Cloquet Police Department since Oct. 24, 2018.