Lawmakers Seek Tougher Penalty For Repeat DWIs

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A pair of Minnesota state Republican lawmakers wants the Legislature to strengthen the maximum penalty for repeat drunk-driver offenders.

Rep. Chris Swedzinski of Ghent and Sen. Gary Dahms of Redwood Falls appeared at a Tuesday-morning news conference with the parents of a 5-month-old boy whom a drunk driver killed in July 2012.

Southwest Minnesota State University basketball coach Brad Bigler said he and his wife chose to advocate for a tougher law to protect others from suffering the same fate as their son, Drake.

The proposal would increase the maximum prison sentence to 15 years from 10 years for criminal vehicular homicide. It would apply to people who had a previous DWI offense within the past 10 years and caused injury to a person or property damage.