Biwabik fire chief charged with DWI

BIWABIK—The fire chief for the city of Biwabik is facing multiple gross misdemeanor drunken driving charges following his arrest by the Minnesota State Patrol earlier this month. According to the St. Louis County Jail roster, Daniel Mackey, 38, was arrested Saturday, June 13 and booked into the St. Louis County Jail at 2:01 a.m. He was released June 15. Mackey is listed as facing three gross misdemeanor charges: second-degree driving while impaired, third-degree driving while impaired with an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more within two hours, and third-degree driving while impaired involving one aggravating factor. The arrest was made by the Minnesota State Patrol’s Virginia station. According to a criminal complaint filed in St. Louis County District Court, a state trooper observed a vehicle shortly after midnight June 13 in the Gilbert area and discovered the vehicle’s registration was associated with a revoked status and plate impound order. The trooper conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Mackey. Court documents allege the trooper observed signs of impairment. The complaint states Mackey performed field sobriety tests, during which investigators observed indicators of impairment. A preliminary breath test allegedly indicated an alcohol concentration of 0.17. According to the complaint, a subsequent breath test administered at the Virginia Jail measured an alcohol concentration of 0.18. Court records state Mackey allegedly acknowledged consuming alcohol and feeling its effects but reportedly told investigators he did not believe it affected his ability to drive. Mackey serves as fire chief for the city of Biwabik. As of Tuesday afternoon, it was not immediately clear whether the city had taken any administrative action regarding his position. Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.