Man Facing Charges After Allegedly Driving a Semi-Truck Drunk on I-35 in Lakeville
Published: May 20, 2026
LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA: Troy Robert Groe, of Owatonna, is facing gross misdemeanor DWI charges after authorities say he was found intoxicated behind the wheel of a semi-truck along I-35 in Lakeville with a reported alcohol concentration nearly four times the legal limit for commercial drivers.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County District Court, 46-year-old Troy Robert Groe has been charged with:
Third-degree DWI — commercial motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more within two hours.
Third-degree DWI — operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
Both charges are gross misdemeanors.
The charges stem from an incident reported around 3:09 p.m. on May 18, 2026. According to the complaint, a motorist contacted authorities to report a semi-truck traveling southbound on I- 35 that was allegedly “swerving all over the road.” The reporting party continued providing location updates to dispatchers and advised that the semi eventually pulled onto the off-ramp from southbound I-35 at 185th Street in Lakeville.
Officers with the Lakeville Police Department located the semi-truck stopped on the off-ramp. Court documents state the truck was still running and the keys remained in the ignition when officers made contact with the driver, later identified as Groe. According to the complaint, officers detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Groe and observed watery eyes and slurred speech. When asked for his driver’s license, investigators allege Groe handed an officer a debit card instead. Authorities further stated that Groe appeared unsteady while exiting the truck and nearly fell into the vehicle. He reportedly agreed to field sobriety testing but was unable to satisfactorily complete the exercises. Court documents state he refused to provide a preliminary breath test sample at the scene.
Investigators said Groe was arrested on suspicion of impaired driving.
During a search of the semi-truck, officers allegedly found two empty “175 Fireball” alcohol bottles directly behind the driver’s seat.
After being transported for evidentiary testing, Groe allegedly agreed to a breath test after being read the Minnesota Commercial Breath Test Advisory. The complaint states the test showed an alcohol concentration of 0.30 at approximately 4:50 p.m. Under Minnesota law, commercial drivers are held to a stricter legal alcohol limit of 0.04 while operating a commercial vehicle, compared to the standard 0.08 threshold for non-commercial drivers.
The complaint also notes that one aggravating factor was present, elevating the charges to third-degree DWI. The filing did not immediately specify the aggravating factor in the publicly available complaint narrative.
Court records indicate Groe may either post $12,000 bail without conditions or be released on supervised release for $0.
All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Provided by Dakota County Jail.
Written by: Will Wight
