OWATONNA, Minn. — The Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge who was arrested in November as driving drunk, pleaded guilty. Judge Renee Lee Worke, 67, who lives in Owatonna, was sentenced on the spot to one-year of probation with random chemical dependency testing and community service. She also was fined $500. The sentencing judge, Adam Johnson, was brought in from Hastings, 70 miles away, to avoid suspicion pf local favoritism. Worke originally faced two counts of gross misdemeanor third-degree DWI, but one count was later was amended to a fourth-degree misdemeanor charge.
Worke. Judge-to-judge order: No more booze
Original police report
The case against Worke began about 9:15 p.m. November 29, when a Steele County Sheriff’s Office deputy found a vehicle stuck in a snowbank on eastbound U.S. Highway 14 at the Interstate 35 overpass in Owatonna. The vehicle was “presenting a road hazard,” the report says. The driver, later identified as Worke, had glossy eyes and slurred speech, the deputy noted. A second deputy arrived and spoke to Worke, who said she was coming from Waseca. According to the criminal complaint, Worke said she had one glass of wine about two hours earlier. Asked how she was feeling, she told the deputy, “I’m totally fine.” The second deputy noted Worke’s bloodshot, glossy eyes, and detected alcohol on her breath, court documents say, as well as “slurred speech and slow motor function.” The complaint says an initial field sobriety test showed signs “consistent with impairment,” and Worke was detained for further DWI investigation. Due to inclement weather — the area was in a winter storm warning — Worke was taken to the Steele County Detention Center to complete the field sobriety tests. She reportedly agreed to take a breath test, which the document says showed an alcohol concentration of 0.16.% The legal limit to drive in Minnesota is 0.08%.
Verbatim
Adam Johnson, visiting judge Steele County: “As the prosecuting authority in Judge Worke’s case, both the seriousness of the offense and the defendant’s response were considered. Judge Worke accepted responsibility at an early stage and proactively sought appropriate chemical health resources. Without consideration of position, status, or potential collateral consequences, the State extended the standard Steele County resolution routinely offered to first-time DWI offenders with no prior record. This disposition is consistent with how similarly situated defendants are treated. The one-year term of probation, including abstinence from alcohol, serves to protect public safety while ensuring continued oversight and accountability, and supports rehabilitation to prevent future impaired driving, Worke’s probation will be monitored by Steele County Community Corrections. Legal professionals concerned about their well-being