A White Bear Lake man is facing new drunk driving charges in Anoka County after police say he smashed into a highway sign in Fridley, abandoned his damaged car in an apartment parking lot, and then refused to comply with a court-ordered chemical test.
According to a criminal complaint filed October 2, 2025, Pedro Villa Acosta, 57, was charged with second-degree refusal to submit to a chemical test, third-degree driving while impaired, and failure to notify after a collision.
The Incident in Fridley
At 5:02 a.m. on October 2, a 911 caller reported seeing a dark-colored sedan strike a sign in the median near Charles Street NE and East River Road NE before driving off. The vehicle, with a smashed front end and a missing headlight, was later spotted pulling into the back lot of the Axel Apartments.
Fridley Officer Waddle responded to the scene and found a badly damaged Honda Accord parked crooked in the lot. A man later identified as Acosta was walking away from the car. The complaint states he appeared unsteady, stumbled as he moved, and nearly fell over.
When ordered to stop, Acosta allegedly ignored commands until the officer grabbed his shirt and directed him to the ground. In the exchange, Acosta insisted he “didn’t hit another vehicle,” according to the report.
The officer noted a strong odor of alcohol and discovered Acosta was carrying a plastic bag containing three 16-ounce cans of Natural Ice beer. He refused field sobriety testing.
Refusal of Chemical Test
Police obtained a warrant from Judge Thomas Lehmann authorizing a blood or urine test. Acosta refused to provide either sample, leading to the most serious charge filed against him: second-degree test refusal, a gross misdemeanor that carries stiffer penalties when aggravating factors are present.
Damage Beyond the Sign
The debris left on the road caused collateral damage. Another motorist reported their vehicle was struck by metal fragments from the sign Acosta allegedly hit.
Prior Alcohol-Related Driving Offense
Acosta’s Minnesota driving record shows a prior alcohol-related incident on October 15, 2024, which led to the revocation of his license on October 22 of that year. Court filings note his driving privileges remain revoked as of the date of the latest arrest.