Brodkorb Faces DUI, Other Charges After Crash

Fired Minnesota Senate aide Michael Brodkorb faces drunken driving and other charges after a January crash that left him injured, a city attorney said Wednesday.

Lilydale City Attorney Thomas Lehmann said he filed a criminal complaint charging Brodkorb with four counts, including fourth-degree driving under the influence, a misdemeanor. The other charges include a misdemeanor count of careless driving, and a petty misdemeanor count of wearing no seat belt.

Brodkorb crashed his sport utility vehicle on a highway near St. Paul on Jan. 23 and was hospitalized with serious injuries. Authorities said he struck the wall of a bridge along Interstate 35E in Mendota Heights and stopped against a concrete barrier. The Minnesota State Patrol said Brodkorb had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 percent, which is over the legal limit in Minnesota.

Brodkorb told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he had no comment at this time.

Brodkorb, a former communications aide to Senate Republicans, was fired in 2011 after an affair with then-Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch. He sued the Senate, alleging he was discriminated against because of his gender. That lawsuit is pending.

Brodkorb faces a $1,000 fine and/or 90 days in jail if convicted on the misdemeanor counts.