SPICER -- Spicer Mayor Perry Wohnoutka made a statement Wednesday apologizing to the citizens of Spicer for his behavior that resulted in a Sept. 1 arrest for assault and disorderly conduct.
"I would like to apologize to the citizens of Spicer for the embarrassment I brought to the city," Wohnoutka said before the beginning of the council's regular meeting.
"I'm taking the proper steps needed to take care of my personal life" he said, rubbing his forehead, "and I would like to thank the many people for their support, and I sincerely am sorry for what took place."
Without an objection or interruption to Wohnoutka's statement, the council proceeded with business as usual, except for the absence of Councilmen Ron Schneider.
Throughout the remainder of the regular meeting, the council joked and laughed, and not a sign of tension seemed to show on the faces of the council members.
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The council breezed through an agenda demanding resolutions on a preliminary budget and levy for the city, scheduling a public budget hearing for Dec. 12 and awarding the low bid for the Spicer Library expansion.
Wohnoutka apologized after being arrested at 10 p.m. on Sept. 1 for fifth-degree assault and disorderly conduct following an altercation at Melvin's on the Lake in Spicer. Wohnoutka spent one night in Kandiyohi County Jail for the arrest and posted bail the next day.
Charges were later filed for the incident Sept. 5 by the Kandiyohi County District Court and a report on the arrest was also released by the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office.
According to the report, Wohnoutka had a blood-alcohol level of 0.217 following a portable breathe test by the arresting sheriff's deputies. In comparison, the legal limit for being charged with driving while impaired is 0.08. The sheriff's office's report also mentioned that Wohnoutka had been drinking at Melvin's since 5 p.m. and the Melvin's bartender actually stopped serving Wohnoutka about an hour before the arrest.
The report filed by the deputies included information that Wohnoutka hit two employees of Melvin's on the Lake after being verbally disruptive to the restaurant's staff and patrons. One of the employees allegedly hit by Wohnoutka, the report says, was actually trying to help Wohnoutka onto his bicycle that he rode to the restaurant.
The first court appearance for Wohnoutka and the charges filed against him is set for Sept. 26.
