MAPLE GROVE, MN – After new details surfaced regarding the circumstances of Sheriff David Hutchinson’s drunk driving arrest for in December 2021, Hennepin County Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) is calling on Hutchinson to resign, and is urging Attorney General Keith Ellison to review the handling of his case.
"As more facts emerge about Sherriff Hutchinson’s arrest, it's become clear that he must resign. Today's newly-released evidence shows he was driving more than 100 miles per hour without a seatbelt, and lied about it when confronted by responding officers. This is unacceptable behavior for anyone, let alone our county’s top law enforcement official. He needs to face consequences for his actions, just like everyday Minnesotans would for the same egregious violations of law." Robbins said.
Robbins added that she is publicly calling on Attorney General Keith Ellison to review the handling of the case, citing the expedited timeline and hastily-dismissed charges.
"I'm troubled that Sheriff Hutchinson may have received improper preferential treatment, and am calling on Attorney General Ellison to review this case. Sheriff Hutchinson's case was handled in a matter of days, and there's indications that several violations of state law occurred that were either dismissed or never charged in the first place.
"Minnesotans need to know that our judges are prosecutors are there to enforce the law fairly. Whether it's repeat criminals allowed to walk free after probation violations, or a powerful Sheriff who gets a special plea deal, we're seeing trust in our system eroded. Average Minnesotans would not be able to get these serious charges taken care of in a matter of days. Average Minnesotans would have their license revoked and gun rights taken away if they were driving drunk at over 100 miles per hour with multiple weapons in the vehicle. The Attorney General needs to review whether this case was handled properly," Robbins concluded.
Sheriff Hutchinson was arrested in the early morning hours of December 8. His case was resolved the following week when he plead guilty to a single DWI charge on December 16. Hutchinson had two DWI charges dismissed, and there was a continuance for dismissal for the charge of carrying a firearm under the influence. Hutchinson was not charged for extreme speed — any speed limit violations that involve driving more than 100 miles per hour results in an automatic license revocation under state law.
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