A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Sauk Rapids, Minn., man on two felony counts of first degree driving while intoxicated.
Merle John VanCleef, 36, of 120 15th St. Ct., Sauk Rapids, is also facing a gross misdemeanor charge of driving after license cancellation.
He was accused as the result of a May 24 incident in which the Becker County Sheriff's Department received two separate reports of a vehicle being driven erratically on Highway 34.
A sheriff's deputy later found VanCleef's vehicle parked along the side of the road on Highway 34 near Toad Lake; VanCleef, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, appeared intoxicated, with slurred speech and constricted pupils in his eyes (on a cloudy day).
A plastic bag was spotted on the seat next to the driver, containing numerous plastic prescription bottles. The pills contained hydrocodone, diazepam, seroquel and gabapentin. VanCleef said the prescriptions were for pain, as he had recently sustained a back injury.
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A field sobriety test administered at the scene showed no indications that he had been using alcohol; however, a subsequent blood test at St. Mary's following his arrest showed very high levels of hydrocodone were present in his system -- much higher than would have been present if he had been taking the amount prescribed to him.
VanCleef also had five prior DWI-related convictions, in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2005 and 2006.
His license had also been canceled, and he has a previous conviction for driving after cancellation on his record.
