Brown County District Court

• Two gross misdemeanor 3rd-degree DWI charges were filed May 1, 2023 against Meredith L. Hartley, 26, 1120 Esther Ave., Lafayette. According to court documents, at 1:32 a.m., Jan. 8, 2023, New Ulm Police Officer Tyler Forrest was parked on Center Street facing Minnesota St. when he saw a blue 2014 Honda Accord approach the intersection and stop in the crosswalk, past the stop sign.

Officer Forrest identified the driver as Hartley who had intoxication clues and admitted she had a glass of wine before getting into the car and driving. She had difficulty with field sobriety tests but agreed to provide a preliminary breath test but repeatedly refused to provide an adequate sample. Harley was arrested and taken to the Brown County Jail. A second DMT breath test that was successful showed a 0.10 alcohol concentration. She was convicted of DWI April 8, 2014 in Brown County Court.

• Gross misdemeanor 3rd-degree DWI and possess pistol without permit in public place charges and misdemeanor 4th-degree DWI and carrying pistol under influence of alcohol charges were filed May 1, 2023 against Tyler J. DeSaer, 33, 208 Foothills Rd., Courtland.

According to court documents, New Ulm Police Officer Tyler Forrest was parked in a marked squad vehicle on Center Street at 1:20 a.m. April 22, 2023 when he saw a black 2021 Chevrolet Silverado driving through a stop sign on Minnesota Street North. Officer Forrest stopped the vehicle and identified the driver as DeSaer who showed intoxication clues. Two plastic cups that appeared to contain beer were found in the vehicle center console. DeSaer failed certain field sobriety tests. A preliminary breath test show a .214 blood alcohol content.

DeSaer was arrested for DUI. He admitted to having a concealed handgun in the vehicle center console and not having a permit to carry. A Datamaster breath test taken at 2:03 a.m. reported a 0.22 alcohol concentration.

• Gross misdemeanor 3rd-degree DWI-test refusal and misdemeanor 4th-degree DWI charges were filed May 1, 2023 against Jeffrey R. Watson, 927 N. German St., New Ulm. According to court documents, New Ulm Police Sgt. Charles Rasche was stopped, facing east on 5th Street North at the Broadway intersection at 1:11 a.m. Dec. 19, 2022 when he saw a newer blue Ford pickup that appeared to be traveling at more than the 30 mph speed limit on snow and ice-covered road conditions.

Sgt. Rasche pursued the suspect vehicle, seeing it accelerate very rapidly from a stop sign be stopped it using emergency lights at Minnesota St. and 10th Street North. Identifying the driver at Watson, Sgt. Rasche noticed intoxication clues displayed by Watson who admitted to having three or four drinks.

Watson refused a preliminary breath test, was arrested for DWI, taken to jail and refused a breath test again.