Menahga man arrested for driving 178 mph sentenced for DWI

WADENA, Minn. - A man who was stopped and arrested for reportedly driving a Corvette up to 178 miles per hour in Wadena County was sentenced Aug. 30 for driving while intoxicated during the incident.

Michael James Johnson, 40, of Menahga, Minn. was convicted of DWI and careless driving in connection with the incident, in which Johnson reportedly drove 178 miles per hour July 9 on Wadena County Road 31.

Johnson was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 88 of those days stayed for two years. He must also serve two years probation, attend a MADD impact panel, complete an alcohol assessment, and pay $1,115 of a $1,615 fine.

The self-reported speeding incident was the fastest on record in Minnesota in July. A passenger in Johnson's vehicle is credited with stating how fast they were traveling.

Steve Schulz is a reporter at The Wadena (Minn.) Pioneer Journal, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.