Sen. Coleman staffer arrested on suspicion of driving drunk

Last update: January 22, 2008 - 10:30 AM

An occasional driver for Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Sunday, according to his attorney, David Valentini.

Adam Doyle, 24, of Minneapolis, was released on $12,000 bail after being arrested early Sunday by University of Minnesota police, according to Hennepin County Sheriff's Office records.

When reached by phone Monday, Doyle referred questions to his attorney. Valentini said Doyle, a law student at the University of St. Thomas, occasionally drives Coleman and is a part-time staffer in his Minnesota office.

"Adam feels absolutely terrible about this," Valentini said. "He was absolutely despondent over it."

He said Doyle's blood alcohol content was more than 0.2. The legal limit is 0.08.

Last April, Doyle's fiancée, Melissa Speich, was killed after a drunken driver ran a red light and struck her vehicle near the Metrodome.

Geoffrey Baker, 34, of Hudson, Wis., had a blood alcohol content of nearly twice the legal limit when his vehicle hit Speich's car. He was charged with criminal vehicular homicide.

At the time, Doyle told the Minnesota Daily, "Melissa is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I still can't believe that when I go home that she's not going to walk through the door every day."

Doyle has no prior drunken driving convictions or serious traffic violations, according to public records.

Late Monday, Coleman issued this statement: "Adam will need to take responsibility for his actions. Over the past year, Adam has undergone enormous personal tragedy, and while we all sympathize with his loss, his actions this weekend were inexcusable. At the same time, everybody makes mistakes, and I will be there to support him going forward."

COURTNEY BLANCHARD

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