by Dennis Dalman
Sartell resident Rustin Joseph Deters was arrested Jan. 16 by a Minnesota State Patrol officer for impaired driving just three days after he took his oath as a new member of the Sartell City Council.
The arrest occurred on Hwy. 10 in Sherburne County’s Becker Township at about midnight on Thursday, Jan. 16.
On Nov. 5, Deters, 44, was elected to the council position with 35 percent of the vote total in a competing field of three candidates. Two were elected – Deters and Pat Lynch.
According to complaint documents, the car Deters was driving had been weaving on the road, at times over the center line. Two complaints were received about the alleged erratic driving before the Highway Patrol officer trailed the car and flashed its lights, indicating to the driver to stop on the side of the highway.
The officer stated later he had observed symptoms of impairment such as bloodshot dyes and the smell of alcohol. According to documents, Deters told the officer that he he’d consumed some beers earlier.
During several on-site sobriety tests, the officer determined Deters showed signs of alcohol-impairment. In addition, the officer stated he failed twice to take the breath test properly.
He was arrested for a charge of driving while intoxicated, which is a misdemeanor punishable by 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. He was also charged with “refusal to submit to a chemical test.” That charge is a gross misdemeanor that, should he be convicted, could add up to a year in jail and a $3,000 fine.
After the arrest, Deters was placed in the Sherburne County Jail and then released on a bond of $12,000.
Sartell City Council member Rustin Deters, shown here after taking the oath of office on Jan. 13, 2025.
