WINONA, Minn. – It can’t be said, only assumed., that Kyle Thomas Nichols, 26, of Winona was driving drunk. There he was slumped over his steering wheel in a parking lot in the 150 block of West Second Street. That’s the bar district. The hour was 1:38 a.m. Police knocked on the car window, then banged. They could see the keys in the ignition. Finally Nichols stirred. He looked and smelled impaired and couldn’t walk straight, officers said. The alcohol in his blood tested 0.22%, almost triple what’s allowed by law. He was arrested for drunken driving. Although technically not driving — the car was parked — being drunk in the driver’s seat with the key in the ignition was sufficient evidence, police said.
Nichols. Key in ignition became evidence.