Sparks flew in lead-up to DWI conviction

A Twin Cities man with a history of drunken driving was sent to prison after recording his fourth DWI in Woodbury.

Michael Carey Swenson, 31, was sentenced Aug. 2 to more than three years in prison after being convicted of a DWI charge.

Police were called Oct. 1, 2011, to Minnesota School of Cosmetology on Weir Drive for a report of a student who arrived at school in a drunken stupor. An officer found the man, later identified as Swenson, slumped over a chair at the school, appearing lethargic and slurring his words.

The officer later encountered a man who said he was witness to unusual driving earlier that day. The witness said he saw a car headed down Weir Drive that was driving on its rim, shooting off sparks.

The man said he witnessed the car pull into the beauty school parking lot and watched a male in a gray hooded sweatshirt get out and walk to the school.

Swenson later confirmed he drove the vehicle down Weir Drive on its rim, but denied drinking anything since the previous night.

He was arrested and consented to a urine test before pleading guilty to the DWI charge in April.

Swenson had been convicted in DWI cases in 2010, 2007 and 2005.

Minnesota law requires him to serve two-thirds of his 41-month sentence in prison and one-third on supervised release.

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