Man Charged With Felony DWI After Allegedly Crashing Into Parked Vehicle In Lakeville
Published: May 12th 2026
LAKEVILLE MN: A Lakeville man is facing a felony DWI charge after allegedly crashing into a parked vehicle late Friday night, according to a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County.
According to the complaint, James Edward Ferdig has been charged with first-degree driving while impaired — alcohol concentration of .08 or more with a prior felony conviction.
Police were dispatched at about 11:49 p.m. on May 8 to a reported crash near a residence in Lakeville. Dispatchers advised officers that a dark four-door sedan had struck a parked vehicle and appeared to be stuck while trying to leave the area. Callers also reported that the male driver appeared impaired, the complaint states.
When officers arrived, they allegedly found Ferdig standing near a gray Chevrolet Malibu. According to the complaint, Ferdig approached officers and admitted that he hit the other vehicle.
The complaint states officers observed Ferdig displaying signs of impairment, including slurred speech, trouble balancing, and bloodshot, watery eyes. Officers also reported smelling an odor of consumed alcohol coming from him.
According to the complaint, Ferdig told officers he was coming from Bogarts Entertainment Center and had consumed three or four “crown-and-coke” beverages.
Officers had Ferdig perform standardized field sobriety tests and observed several clues of impairment, according to the complaint. During the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, officers allegedly observed lack of smooth pursuit and sustained nystagmus. During the walk-and-turn and one-leg-stand tests, the complaint states Ferdig struggled with balance and stepped off the line multiple times.
Police administered a preliminary breath test that allegedly showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.175. After being transported to the Lakeville Police Department, Ferdig agreed to a breath test, which allegedly measured 0.14 BAC, according to the complaint.
Investigators also obtained surveillance video from a nearby home showing the crash, the complaint states.
Court records cited in the complaint state Ferdig has a prior felony DWI conviction from October 2006 in Dakota County.
A charge is merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.