State Rep. Mark Buesgens pleaded guilty Friday in connection with a Sept. 18 drunken driving arrest.
Buesgens, 49, of Jordan, was arraigned Friday morning on three misdemeanor counts related to the arrest in Wright County.
He pleaded guilty in Wright County District Court to driving while impaired with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or greater, which is above the legal limit under state law.
A second charge of drunken driving in connection with the same incident and a third charge of an open bottle were dismissed because Buesgens accepted the plea agreement, said Wright County Assistant Attorney Shane Simonds.
"Mr. Buesgens has been very proactive since he obtained his charge and has taken steps to address his problems with alcohol," Simonds said.
Buesgens entered the plea before District Judge Stephen Halsey. A sentencing date has been set for Nov. 23. A presentence investigation will take into account any chemical-dependency assessment, length of probation and the amount of any fine, Simonds said.
Buesgens, a Republican who won reelection on Nov. 2 in a landslide, has previously issued a public statement apologizing for his arrest and saying he regretted his actions. He has said he would seek a chemical-dependency evaluation.
JOY POWELL
