Renville man faces charges for driving drunk, crashing with four kids in car

WILLMAR -- A 33-year-old Renville man faces two gross misdemeanor charges for allegedly drinking and driving with four children in his vehicle and then crashing the car early Sunday morning.

Jose Torres Flores made his first appearance Monday in Kandiyohi County District Court on charges of criminal vehicular operation and driving while impaired. Unconditional bail was set at $12,000. Conditional release was allowed on his personal recognizance, provided he submit to electronic alcohol monitoring and not drive without a valid license.

Flores' next appearance is Nov. 22.

According to the complaint, three Kandiyohi County sheriff's deputies were dispatched around 6 a.m. Sunday to a motor vehicle accident along state Highway 7 near 60th Street Southwest. They were unable to locate anyone in the vehicle, but learned from a citizen that Flores was driving the vehicle and had been drinking.

Meanwhile, someone dropped off four children, ages 11, 8, 6 and 5, at Rice Memorial Hospital and left. The children received medical attention and deputies learned that Flores had also been hurt in the crash.

Flores came to the hospital and allegedly admitted to drinking, driving with the children and crashing a 2001 Chevy Tahoe. He smelled of alcohol and a preliminary breath test showed a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.104 percent. The DWI threshold is 0.08 percent. A blood sample was taken and will be examined by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Flores received medical attention for his bleeding nose and swollen eye. He was arrested and taken to the Law Enforcement Center where he allegedly admitted to drinking four to five beers and then driving with the four children.

One of the children told a deputy that all the children were in the back seat and that she had a nose bleed, her back hurt and that she had a seat belt mark on her chest.

Flores has a prior driving while impaired conviction in September 2009.