Former Minneapolis council member charged with DWI after crash outside City Hall
A former Minneapolis city council member is accused of crashing her car while under the influence of alcohol outside City Hall late Tuesday night.
Alondra Espejel, née Cano, has been charged with one count each of third-degree DWI — refusal to submit breath test and fourth-degree DWI — operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, according to court documents filed in Hennepin County.
Charges say officers were dispatched to a crash at 315 4th Street South at approximately 11:14 p.m. A woman told police she had been parked in her vehicle when she was struck by a Honda CR-V. The driver of the Honda, later identified as Espejel, remained in her car and refused to identify herself to another officer.
Espejel was recording the police officer and attempted to put her vehicle in drive and "flee the scene," after repeatedly declining to provide her driver's license and proof of insurance to police, according to charges. The officer then opened her driver's door and turned her vehicle off before commanding her to exit.
Charges allege Espejel refused to comply with multiple requests for her to exit the vehicle. Eventually, she provided her identification, but still would not get out of her car. An officer removed her from the vehicle and placed her in a police squad.
During their interaction with Espejel, officers reportedly observed her having bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and an odor of alcohol emanating from her, charges say. An officer had to cease conducting a field sobriety test on Espejel because she "was unable to follow instructions, was stumbling over herself, continued to slur her speech, and her complaint of it being too cold outside."
After being arrested and transported to take a breath test, charges say Espejel told an officer she did not understand the breath test advisory read to her. Court documents claim she then asked to speak to an attorney, but refused to speak to one and did not attempt to contact one during her provided "attorney time."
Still, charges say, Espejel repeatedly denied submitting to a breath test without her lawyer present. As a result, the test was deemed a refusal.
Espejel served on the Minneapolis City Council, representing the 9th ward, from 2014 to 2022.