Jose A. Molina of Fargo keeps returning to the one place the law forbids him to go: behind the steering wheel.
Molina, 22, 4231 33rd Ave. S.W., appeared in a Clay County courtroom on Friday to face his third drunken-driving charge in five months.
His latest two arrests include felony charges of fleeing from police.
Molina was arrested about midnight Thursday after a Dilworth police officer tried to pull him over for running a stop sign and swerving on a Minnesota Highway 10 frontage road.
A court complaint says:
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Molina refused to stop the van he was driving until he turned into a residential driveway in the 1800 block of 32nd Street.
"I'm sorry. I know I'm not supposed to run from the cops," Molina said after officer Mike Rapp ordered him to the ground.
Police found an open beer, a small amount of marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia inside the van.
He made his first court appearance Friday on charges of driving without a license, driving drunk, fleeing from police, refusing to submit to an alcohol test, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Clay County District Judge John Pearson set Molina's bond at $20,000.
On May 27, Molina led Moorhead officers on a chase to Ridgewood Park.
Court records say:
He nearly drove over a child riding a bike before crashing his car into a speed limit sign near Moorhead's Ridgewood Park.
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As Officer Kent McCullough approached the wrecked vehicle, he saw the driver toss a liquor bottle out a window.
Molina was charged with drunken driving, fleeing, domestic assault, open bottle, reckless driving and driving without a license.
Molina had lost his license after being charged with a DWI on March 19. He also was charged May 2 with driving without a license, according to court records.
Dilworth Police Chief David Miller said his department has impounded the van Molina drove Thursday night.
Miller said his department plans to take ownership of the van under a state law that allows such seizures from people who insist on driving without a license.
"We're snagging people on a daily basis who are driving without a license," Miller said. "If taking your license isn't going to stop you, we're going to take your car."
Steve Wagner contributed to this story.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Zent at (701) 241-5526
