Breathalyzer Error Impacts DWI Tests in Winona County
Winona County is dismissing 39 DWI charges due to an issue with a breath test machine at the county jail.
A cylinder was incorrectly installed in the DataMaster Transportable (DMT) breath test machine, according to Winona County Sheriff Ron Ganrude.
- The error was discovered after the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) notified the sheriff in September.
- A preliminary investigation found that a cylinder for a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) was incorrectly installed in the DMT.
- PBTs are breathalyzers used by officers to establish probable cause for an arrest, while DMTs are secondary tests that produce more accurate results.
The cylinder got changed starting in June of 2025.
Author's summary: DWI charges dropped due to breathalyzer error.