A Minot man has been found guilty of driving under the influence after a jury trial on Feb. 13.

Helaman Thor Hale, 41, Minot, was charged in April 2023, with actual personal control-intoxicating liquor-fourth of subsequent offense in 15 years, a Class C felony, and providing false information to law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor.

According to court documents, Minot Police responded to a report of a vehicle leaving the road in northeast Minot. The vehicle crashed through a retaining wall and came to rest near a row of trees.

Hale was found standing outside the vehicle and claimed to officers that another man named “Don” had been driving as Hale was drunk and had a suspended license, but the man ran away after the crash. Witnesses told officers they had not seen any other individual exit the vehicle. A passenger in the vehicle told officers that Hale had been driving the vehicle. Officers administered a breathalyzer test on hale, which returned a BAC of .19%.

Hale pleaded not guilty to the charges, and appeared for the one-day jury trial on Feb. 13. The verdict was delivered on Feb. 14, with the jury finding Hale guilty on both counts.

District Court Judge Douglas Mattson sentenced Hale to serve 27 months of a five-year term in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with credit for 13 days already served. Hale was ordered to complete three years of supervised probation and must complete a chemical dependency evaluation. Hale was also ordered to enroll in a 24/7 Sobriety Program, and to pay $2,525 in court fines and fees.

Mattson noted that Hale had previously completed Adult Drug Court alternative sentencing in January 2023, and urged there be a delay in consideration for drug court for this offense saying, “Due to the ongoing egregious conduct of the defendant, despite intervening rehabilitation efforts through Adult Drug Court, the Court strongly urges the defendant serve the year and a day minimum mandatory sentence under NDCC 39-08-01-(5), so to delay consideration for treatment.”