Former candidate for NDGOP chair charged with felony DUI after crash
MINOT, N.D. — Robert Howard Wheeler, who campaigned to be chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party last year and lost , is facing a felony DUI charge after an ATV crash that injured his wife and himself.
According to an affidavit filed in McLean County District Court Tuesday morning, Feb. 1, by Sheriff’s Deputy Bradley M. Nielsen, Wheeler was initially charged with a misdemeanor DUI, but that was elevated to a felony after more information about the extent Holly Wheeler’s injuries were obtained.
n addition to the felony charge, Wheeler is also facing misdemeanor charges of preventing arrest and disorderly conduct.
According to Nielsen’s affidavit, Wheeler on Monday, Jan. 31, was driving a black CanAm ATV south of Highway 200 and was involved in a rollover accident. Both he and Holly Wheeler were ejected from the vehicle.
When Nielsen arrived on the scene, Robert Wheeler was sitting in what was apparently the private vehicle of an emergency medical technician. Nielsen described Wheeler as “intoxicated” and “belligerent.” The EMT official had a young child in their car, and when Wheeler was asked to get out because of his behavior, he refused, according to Nielsen’s report.
