Robbinsdale City Council Member Drove Drunk, Fled Police: Charges

ROBBINSDALE, MN — A Robbinsdale City Council member has been charged in a drunk driving incident that police said occurred on Highway 100 Monday.

Tyler Kline, 38, of Robbinsdale, faces one count of fleeing a peace officer, one count of driving while under the influence, and another count of driving while under the influence with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more.

At the New Hope Police Department, Kline provided a breath sample that showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.20, according to the criminal complaint. The legal limit in Minnesota is 0.08.

Kline is set to make his first court appearance Wednesday. If convicted of the most serious offense — fleeing a police officer — Kline will face a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, after midnight on Jan. 24, Kline caused a crash while driving the wrong way on Highway 100 near Brooklyn Boulevard.

Kline — while driving a minivan — fled the scene of the crash and continued to travel southbound in the northbound lanes of traffic, police said.

A Crystal police officer then spotted his minivan and tried to pull him over, according to the criminal complaint. Kline continued to flee, police said.

Kline left the highway at County Road 81, still heading in the wrong direction, according to authorities. He was eventually stopped by officers when they drove into his minivan with their squad car.

Kline had to be physically taken out of the driver’s seat by officers, and he smelled of alcohol and showed signs of impairment, according to the criminal complaint.