A Fridley man is facing gross misdemeanor DWI charges after employees at a Coon Rapids oil change business reported finding him slumped over in his vehicle with an open beer can nearby, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday in Anoka County District Court.
Incident at Valvoline Instant Oil
Police say the incident happened around 5:13 p.m. on October 15, 2025, at the Valvoline Instant Oil Change located at 25 Coon Rapids Boulevard.
According to the complaint, an employee contacted police after seeing a driver passed out in his vehicle before pulling into a service bay. The worker also reported seeing the man drinking a Busch Light beer at the time.
When officers from the Coon Rapids Police Department arrived, they identified the driver as Tristan James Wicht, 29, of Fridley. Police say they found two Busch Light cans in the car’s center console, including one that was “still cold to the touch.”
Officers noted signs of impairment, including red, glossy eyes and the odor of alcohol. Wicht initially told police he hadn’t had anything to drink for two days. Field sobriety tests showed balance and coordination issues, and he declined to take a roadside preliminary breath test.
After being read the Minnesota Breath Test Advisory, Wicht agreed to an official test, which recorded an alcohol concentration of 0.13—above the legal limit of 0.08—at 7:09 p.m. that evening.
Repeat DWI Offender
Court documents indicate that Wicht’s driver’s license had previously been revoked due to an alcohol-related incident from June 2018, and that he was convicted of impaired driving in 2020. Those prior offenses make the new case a third-degree DWI, which is classified as a gross misdemeanor under Minnesota law.
He now faces two counts of third-degree driving while impaired—one for operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, and another for having a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher within two hours of driving. Each count carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail and a $3,000 fine.
Detention Order
Judge Karin McCarthy ordered that Wicht remain in custody pending further court proceedings. The order of detention was issued October 16, 2025, and no bail amount was set at the time of filing.
The case was investigated by the Coon Rapids Police Department, with Detective Jason Boersma listed as the complainant and Prosecutor John Lovasz approving the charges.
