MN state trooper charged with going 94 in 55-mph zone

A Minnesota state trooper who has been serving as the face of the State Patrol in western Minnesota has been temporarily reassigned after he was charged with going 94 mph in a 55-mph zone.

Sgt. Jesse Grabow, a public information officer with the Minnesota State Patrol, was clocked going 95 mph and 94 mph down Minnesota 210 in Fergus Falls at about 6:45 a.m. back on April 28, the criminal complaint filed by the Fergus Falls City Attorney's Office says.

Investigators say Grabow was on-duty and driving a patrol car at the time, but he was not on an emergency call, Valley News Live reports.

Grabow's duties have been temporarily reassigned as the internal investigation gets underway, the state patrol said in a news release Monday.

Col. Matt Langer, chief of the State Patrol, released a statement saying:

“As state troopers, we are not immune to the dangers of exceeding the speed limit. Sgt. Jesse Grabow, a 17-year veteran and valued member of our agency, erred in judgement and broke the law when he was observed speeding on duty without cause.

We take this very seriously and have initiated an internal affairs investigation now that the city attorney has completed his review. During this time, Sgt. Grabow’s public information duties will be handled by other troopers.”

The charges were filed Friday, with the State Patrol releasing information on the incident Monday. The State Patrol gave no reason as to why the speeding charge wasn't filed earlier, the Grand Forks Herald notes.

Grabow began working as a state trooper in 1998 and in his time he has received a lifesaving award and one letter of commendation in his personnel file, the State Patrol says. No previous complaints or disciplinary actions have been filed against him in his career.

Grabow could be find up to $300, with a $150 surcharge for going more than 31 mph over the speed limit, if convicted of the misdemeanor, the complaint notes.