Watch Minnesota Police Narrowly Avoid Crash With Drunk Driver

A scary situation unfolded this week in Cloquet, Minnesota, which serves as yet another reminder of how dangerous drunk driving is and how all drivers need to be on full alert whenever they get behind the wheel.

In 2024, intoxicated drivers were responsible for 142 deaths in Minnesota, according to preliminary figures from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. This accounts for a significant portion of the state's total traffic fatalities for that year.

Statistics also show that there were nearly 2,800 DWI crashes last year, and from 2020 to 2024, there were 125,323 DWI arrests in Minnesota.

While those are certainly sobering numbers, sometimes seeing the dangers of driving while under the influence can have a bigger impact than looking at statistics.

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Cloquet Police Narrowly Escape Head-On Crash With Drunk Driver

The Cloquet Police Department shared a video this week of an incident that occurred on Saturday, August 23, when their officers showed some "quick thinking and quality driving skills" to narrowly avoid a head-on crash with an impaired driver going the wrong way.

That officer not only avoided the accident, but they also passed on information to another officer in the department who happened to be nearby. The other officer was able to stop the vehicle that almost caused this crash and ultimately arrest a 20-year-old male for DWI, as he was more than double the legal limit.

Cloquet Police say that, as irony would have it, the officer who was almost hit was on their way to the Carlton County Jail to lodge a 56-year-old male on DWI charges, and he was in the back seat when this crash was avoided.

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Below is the full video of the incident, and a recap of this story from Northern News Now in Duluth.

Cloquet Police reiterate that there is a reason drunk driving is illegal. It is dangerous and can change the lives of everyone involved in a heartbeat. If you're under the influence, get a cab or an Uber, or call a friend for a safe ride home, or you could end up in jail or even worse.