Timeline: Judge Atwal’s DWI arrest, booking, and sentencing

UPDATE: This post was updated on March 23, 2018, to include responsive data from my request for public date regarding Judge G. Tony Atwal’s arrest on January 1, 2018. The police reports show Judge Atwal told police he was a Ramsey County judge, and also asked police “to let him go and just allow him to walk home…”

UPDATE: This post was updated on January 22, 2018, to include a transcript from Judge Atwal’s court appearance on January 2, 2018. Judge Atwal is scheduled to report for electronic home monitoring on January 23, 2018.

In January 2013, I was involved in a very serious car crash caused by my poor decision to drink and drive. I later pleaded guilty to drinking and driving.

Since April 2013, I have volunteered every month to speak to groups about the dangers of drinking and driving, or I work with families impacted by drinking and driving.

On Tuesday, January 2, 2018, I read media reports about Ramsey County Judge G. Tony Atwal’s arrest for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Later that day, I was shocked to read that Judge Atwal had already pleaded guilty and had been sentenced — all within 40 hours of being arrested.

Other people reading my tweet agreed that the speed in which Judge Atwal was able to plead guilty was unusual.

Yesterday, I pulled all of the public documents in the court file related to Judge Atwal’s DWI on January 1, 2018. I uploaded all of the documents and have included links to each document in this story.

I also filed a series of requests for public data involving Judge Atwal’s arrest.

Included in the data are police reports which show Judge Atwal told police he was a Ramsey County judge, and also asked police “to let him go and just allow him to walk home…”

Please review the timeline below. I encourage you to leave a comment about whether you believe Judge Atwal received any special treatment related to his DWI arrest on January 1, 2018.

Timeline of Judge Atwal’s DWI arrest, booking, and sentencing

January 1, 2018, 12:45 AM: According to the criminal complaint: “That on or about January 1, 2018, at approximately 12:45 a.m., Sgt. Cleveland was on routine patrol on Kellogg Boulevard approaching John Ireland in St. Paul, Minnesota in Ramsey County when he observed a 2010 Nissan traveling at a high rate of speed. Cleveland estimated the vehicle to be traveling at least 40 m.p.h. in a posted 30 m.p.h.-zone. Cleveland attempted to catch the vehicle and observed the driver fail to come to a complete stop at a stop sign at Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.”

January 1, 2018, 12:53 AM: According to the booking report for the Ramsey County Jail, Judge Atwal was booked into the Ramsey County Jail at 12:53 AM.

According to the criminal complaint: “Cleveland initiated a traffic stop and identified the driver via MN picture DL as Gurdip Singh Atwal, Defendant herein. While speaking to the Defendant Cleveland noticed the Defendant’s eyes were bloodshot and glassy and that his speech was slightly slurred. Cleveland also smelled a strong odor of alcohol on the Defendant’s breath. When asked if he had been drinking the Defendant admitted to having 2 glasses of wine and a gin and tonic.”

January 1, 2018, 2:34 AM: According to the criminal complaint: “Cleveland had the Defendant perform several field sobriety tests: the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test and the Alphabet Test Based on his performance on these tests Cleveland believed the Defendant was under the influence of alcohol. The Defendant was given a PBT, which he failed. The Defendant was placed under arrest. Cleveland read the Defendant the Breath Test Advisory. The Defendant was given time to contact an attorney. At 2:34 a.m., the Defendant agreed to submit to a breath test, which registered a .17 alcohol concentration.”

January 1, 2018, 7:47 PM: According to the criminal complaint, Minneapolis Deputy City Attorney Mary Ellen Heng electronically signed the criminal complaint at 7:47 PM — approximately 15 hours after Judge Atwal’s vehicle was observed speeding and running a stop sign in St. Paul.

January 2, 2018, 7:21 AM: According to the criminal complaint, St. Paul Police Sgt. Valarie Namen electronically signed the criminal complaint at 7:21 AM — less than 12 hours after it was signed by Namen, and approximately 31 hours after Judge Atwal’s vehicle was observed speeding and running a stop sign in St. Paul.

January 2, 2018, 9:54 AM: According to public court documents, Judge Atwal’s attorney, Patrick Cotter, filed a Certificate of Representation at 9:54 AM — approximately 30 hours after Judge Atwal’s vehicle was observed speeding and running a stop sign in St. Paul.

January 2, 2018, 10:39 AM: According to public court documents, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Lorie Gildea appointed Judge Shereen Askalani at 10:39 AM to hear Judge Atwal’s DWI case — approximately 30 hours after Judge Atwal’s vehicle was observed speeding and running a stop sign in St. Paul.

January 2, 2018, 1:00 PM: According to public court documents, Judge Atwal had a court hearing at 1:00 PM at LEC Courtroom 101 at Ramsey County District Court — approximately 37 hours after Judge Atwal’s vehicle was observed speeding and running a stop sign in St. Paul.

Judge Atwal pleaded guilty at his first appearance in court.

January 2, 2018, 1:58 PM: According to public court documents, the sentencing order signature page was printed at 1:58 PM. It was signed by Judge Shereen and filed with the court later on January 2, 2018 — approximately 38 hours after Judge Atwal’s vehicle was observed speeding and running a stop sign in St. Paul.

Based on public court documents, Judge Atwal was arrested, booked, and pleaded guilty all within 40 hours.