Intoxicated behavior can lead to very serious legal, professional and personal consequences.
It can also be the source of great embarrassment.
That is what one man is finding out after he allegedly broke into a Burnsville home when he was drunk and caused an estimated $2,000 in damage.
According to WCCO, police said that the 20-year-old man knew that the home he entered on Olive Avenue South was not his own, but could not offer a reason why he wouldn’t leave. The man broke a toilet bowl and damaged a door. He could offer no explanation for that behavior, either.
Reportedly, the man had a blood-alcohol content of 0.170 when he was arrested. That is more than double the legal limit of 0.08. He has been charged with one count of first-degree burglary.
This is one of those stories that, superficially at least, seems humorous. As a Minneapolis criminal defense attorney, however, I see two things when I look at it.
First, one has to wonder if this young man has a problem with alcohol. Behavior like this is not normal. If he does indeed have a problematic relationship with the substance, hopefully he can get the help he needs.
Second, a charge of first-degree burglary is no joke. This man is only 20, so his life is just beginning. It would be a terrible shame if future opportunities were compromised by this blemish on his record.
As a criminal defense attorney, I often assist people from around the Twin Cities who have gotten into trouble after having had too much to drink. Please contact me if you would like to learn more about the work I do.