A Coon Rapids man is facing multiple gross misdemeanor charges after police say he was arrested late Thursday night for driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit—and in a vehicle that lacked a court-ordered ignition interlock device.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Anoka County District Court, Eric James Takemoto, 54, has been charged with two counts of second-degree driving while impaired and one count of driving without an ignition interlock device.
The complaint states that at approximately 11:52 p.m. on October 16, 2025, a Coon Rapids police officer observed a vehicle with expired registration and following too closely to another car near Coon Rapids Boulevard and Ibis Street Northwest. The officer initiated a traffic stop and identified the driver as Takemoto.
Police noted the smell of alcohol and observed that Takemoto’s eyes were bloodshot and watery, and his speech slurred. He reportedly told the officer he was coming from the VFW, where he had consumed two beers and two shots. Takemoto failed multiple field sobriety tests, including the horizontal gaze nystagmus, one-leg stand, and walk-and-turn tests.
A preliminary breath test at the scene showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.206. After being read the Minnesota Breath Test Advisory, Takemoto consented to a formal breath test, which recorded a result of 0.22 at 12:58 a.m. on October 17, 2025—well above the legal limit of 0.08.
Officers also discovered that Takemoto was driving a vehicle without a functioning ignition interlock device, a violation of a restriction placed on his driver’s license following a prior alcohol-related offense. Records show his driving privileges were revoked due to a previous DWI incident in August 2023.
Takemoto was arrested and remains in custody under an order of detention signed by District Court Judge Karin McCarthy on October 17, 2025. Each gross misdemeanor charge carries a potential sentence of up to one year in jail and a $3,000 fine.
The case is being prosecuted by the City of Coon Rapids.
