Kandiyohi County deputy charged with DWI after rolling squad car multiple times

KANDIYOHI COUNTY, Minn. — A central Minnesota sheriff's deputy is accused of crashing his squad car while driving under the influence of alcohol last month.

Kandiyohi County deputy Christopher Flatten, 39, was charged last Wednesday with fourth-degree DWI — a misdemeanor — and third-degree test refusal — a gross misdemeanor.

Charges say authorities were dispatched to a crash involving a squad car with a uniformed deputy inside on County Road 4 near the intersection of First Avenue East in Gennesee Township around 6:21 p.m. on July 18.

Upon arrival, responders found Flatten unresponsive inside the vehicle, which appeared to have rolled multiple times into a field, according to court documents.

The sheriff's office says Flatten was extricated from the vehicle and airlifted to a hospital for treatment of injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

A witness told investigators he saw Flatten's squad car run a stop sign and swerve "all over the road," crossing the center and fog lines and driving onto the grass shoulder before the crash, charges say. Another witness said he saw the squad roll five or six times in the ditch.

Investigators say the markings on the road, shoulder, ditch and field were consistent with what the witnesses had described.

While at the hospital, charges say a state trooper informed Flatten they had obtained a search warrant for his blood. Flatten allegedly refused the sample, which is considered a crime.

Charges say during that interaction, the trooper observed "an odor of alcoholic beverage" coming from Flatten and that he had slurred speech and bloodshot, glassy eyes.

Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson says Flatten has been on critical incident leave since the crash and will continue to be pending the outcome of an internal investigation and criminal proceedings. He said he's "deeply concerned" by the accusations in the charges.

"They do not reflect or align with the values of our office, the character of our deputies or the expectations of the people we serve," Tollefson said. "We are taking this situation seriously and cooperating with the investigating agencies."

Tollefson did not say whether Flatten had been on duty at the time of the crash.