Woodbury-Area State Rep. Tou Xiong Pleads Guilty To DWI

WOODBURY, MN — Minnesota state Rep. Tou Xiong, whose district covers parts of Woodbury, pleaded guilty in early April to a DWI charge from January, according to a statement from his campaign.

Xiong was pulled over and arrested Jan. 8 for suspected DWI in Blaine. Court documents show he had a blood-alcohol level of .11, FOX 9 reports.

He filed paperwork April 1 in Anoka County indicating he intended to plead guilty, the report states.

Xiong pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge, while a second DWI-related charge was dismissed as part of his agreement with prosecutors, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports.

Xiong was given a 90-day stayed jail sentence and must pay a $488 fine and undergo a chemical health assessment, his campaign team said in a statement to Patch.

A ‘Champion’ For Justice: Washington Co. Mourns Pete Orput’s Death

Xiong — a DFL lawmaker whose district includes parts of Woodbury, Maplewood and Oakdale — issued an apology after his arrest, saying he “made a terrible mistake” after leaving a “community gathering” that night.

"I was pulled over by law enforcement for driving under the influence," Xiong said. "My actions are inexcusable, and I sincerely apologize."

Xiong's campaign reiterated his apology in its statement to Patch, saying he is "accountable for his actions."

Washington Co. Got $51M From American Rescue Plan: How That Compares

Xiong, who is in his second term as a state representative, is running for the Minnesota State Senate in 2022.

Incumbent Maplewood-area Sen. Chuck Wiger has said he will not seek re-election in 2022.

The Minnesota DFL Party recently endorsed Xiong’s campaign to represent the newly redrawn Senate District 44, which includes all or parts of Maplewood, Oakdale, North St. Paul, Little Canada and Landfall.

Here’s How Much Space You Can Rent For $1,400 In Woodbury

Xiong’s campaign website also touts endorsements from the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and the Minnesota DFL Environmental Caucus.

Xiong "is still committed to doing more work in the coming days, weeks and months to earn back the trust of his constituents and the people he has let down," according to the statement from his campaign.

Xiong’s arrest in January was the second high-profile DWI arrest in the Twin Cities Metro within a month.

Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson was arrested Dec. 8 after rolling his county-owned SUV. Hutchinson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years of probation and must pay $610 in fines and fees.

REGIONAL NEWS:

• Polar Plungers Raise $23K In Stillwater For Special Olympics MN
• Hopkins’ Bueckers, UConn Fall To South Carolina In NCAA Final
• Stillwater High Grad, Gophers Basketball Star To Transfer Away
• 911 Services Restored After National Outage Hit Washington County