Minnesota Appeals Court Judge Charged After Allegedly Crashing Into Snowbank With Blood-Alcohol Level Twice the Legal Limit
MINNESOTA — A longtime Minnesota Court of Appeals judge is facing criminal charges after deputies say she crashed her vehicle into a snowbank in Steele County and was found stumbling, glassy-eyed and twice the legal alcohol limit on the night of Nov. 29.
According to newly released court records, Judge Renee Lee Worke, a two-decade veteran of the appellate bench, is now charged with two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Deputy Reports Judge Was Slurring Speech and Struggling to Stand
The Steele County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched shortly after 9 p.m. to Highway 14 near the Interstate 35 overpass in Owatonna, roughly 65 miles south of Minneapolis. Deputies arrived to find Worke’s vehicle lodged in a snowbank and the judge appearing visibly impaired.
According to the affidavit obtained by KSTP and KMSP, Worke displayed:
- Glassy, unfocused eyes
- Slurred speech
- Slow motor function
- Unsteady balance
Deputies wrote that Worke required assistance walking back to the squad car. No injuries were reported from the crash.
When asked how she felt, Worke allegedly insisted, “I’m totally fine.”
Breath Test Shows 0.16 Blood-Alcohol Level
Worke reportedly told deputies she had consumed one glass of wine at a friend’s home about two hours earlier. However, a breathalyzer test contradicted that claim, showing a 0.16 blood-alcohol concentration, which is double Minnesota’s legal limit of 0.08.
She was taken into custody and booked at the Steele County Jail, later posting bond.
A Judge With Nearly 20 Years on the Appellate Bench
Worke has served on the Minnesota Court of Appeals since 2005, when she was appointed by then-Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty. She has been elected multiple times since — in 2012, 2018, and 2022 — and her current term is set to expire in 2031.
Before joining the appellate court, Worke spent nearly a decade as a district court judge.
As of now, the Court of Appeals has not issued a public statement regarding the charges.
This is a developing legal case involving a sitting appellate judge, and additional court filings or disciplinary actions may follow. Stay with WaldronNews.com for updates on this case and more justice system coverage across the region.