Waldorf man charged with DWI after crash that reportedly downed power pole

A Waldorf man is facing two felony counts of criminal vehicular operation, along with a third gross misdemeanor for a DWI, following a violent crash in which alcohol was quickly determined to be a leading factor.

Hunter Michael Hill, 23, was charged in Waseca County District Court Sept. 6 over a crash which took place the night prior in Waseca County’s Alton Township. Deputies responded to a report that a vehicle had struck a power pole and was on the ground.

A Waseca County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived on the scene to find a power pole broken in half and lines in the south ditch. The vehicle had apparently been attempting to make a left turn when it left the road and struck the power pole.

The Deputy saw a male and female sitting on the ground. While the female was in pain and appeared to have suffered a lower leg injury, later found to be a fractured ankle, the male, later identified as Hill, merely had “minor cuts and scrapes on his arms,” per the criminal complaint.

Hill said he didn’t need medical attention, but the Deputy questioned him about the circumstances which led to the accident. Hill claimed that the tires “were bad and let loose” when he was trying to make the turn, leaving him in the ditch.

The Deputy noticed that Hill, previously convicted of a DWI in Waseca County last year, showed several telltale signs of potential intoxication, including glossy eyes, slurred speech and the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath.

While Hill claimed he had only had pop that evening, the Deputy had Hill attempt several sobriety tests, which he struggled to complete. Hill later took a PBT, which registered at 0.212, more than two and a half times the legal limit.