Prison Likely For Rochester Man Arrested After Illegal U-Turn

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man with a history of DWI-related offenses and drug possession convictions is expected to receive a prison sentence for his most recent run-in with the law.

32-year-old Gatwech Biel Wiel was arrested in April after a Rochester Police Officer on patrol initiated a traffic stop after witnessing a vehicle make an illegal U-turn along North Broadway near 7th Avenue. The criminal complaint filed in the case notes the incident occurred about 12:30 in the morning.

The court document says Wiel was identified as the driver, and because he was displaying signs of impairment, the officer decided to administer a series of roadside sobriety tests. The charges state that he failed the tests and was taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

The complaint also alleges the arresting officer found nearly 36 grams of of a white powder in baggies that were inside a black pouch in Wiel's possession. The charges indicate the substance later tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl.

While he was being booked into the Olmsted County Jail, the court record states Wiel refused to provide a bodily fluid sample for testing, which resulted in him being charged with DWI test refusal, along with DWI and two felony counts of drug possession.

On Thursday, Wiel entered into a plea agreement with Olmsted County prosecutors and admitted to the DWI test refusal charge and a second-degree drug possession count. In exchange, a first-degree drug possession charge and the DWI charge will be dismissed.

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Court documents indicate that, in addition to his previous DWI and drug possession convictions, Wiel also has a criminal sexual conduct conviction on his criminal record from 2014 that resulted in a 4-year prison sentence.

According to his plea deal, his convictions stemming from the April traffic stop carry a presumptive prison term, although his defense attorney intends to argue for a downward departure from sentencing guidelines during a sentencing hearing scheduled in October.

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