Attorney arrested for drunken driving

DULUTH, Minn. — Carlton County Attorney Thom Pertler was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of drunken driving and was being held in the St. Louis County Jail.

State Patrol Sgt. Curt Mowers said the traffic stop was made at 12:30 p.m. on Highway 61 in St. Louis County.

Pertler, 47, told the Duluth News Tribune in March that he resigned his position as an adjunct instructor at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in February because he was embarrassed by his inability to communicate with students when he came to class after drinking at a bar with a boyhood friend.

Pertler said he believes his flawed ability to think that night was exacerbated by the pain medication he was taking for an injured shoulder. He said he didn’t have a drinking problem and has never sought chemical dependency counseling.

Pertler joined the Carlton County Attorney’s Office in 1995 and has been the county attorney since 2005. He was one of the attorneys involved in prosecuting the murderers of Paul Antonich and Katie Poirer.

He was an adjunct instructor at Fond du Lac from 2000 until February 27.

Tags: news, crime, court