Duluth Chamber of Commerce Presidents pleads guilty to DUI

DULUTH- Duluth’s chamber of commerce’s president pleaded guilty on Friday to driving under the influence of alcohol. The plea means no jail time as long as he stays out of legal trouble until 2025. Matt Baumgartner admitted in a virtual St. Louis County courtroom that he had consumed alcohol before driving a vehicle last fall. He also admitted  that a subsequent test indicated that his blood alcohol concentration was .295. The legal limit is .08.

The thirty-nine year-old Baumgartner was charged in October with two counts of second-degree DWI. The plea agreement struck between Baumgartner’s lawyers and prosecutors dismissed one of the two charges.  Baumgartner  received a “stayed” 365-day jail sentence, which means the punishment won’t be enacted unless he breaks the law in a similar manner within the next two years.  A $2,000 fine was also imposed, and $1,950 of that will not need to be paid under the same conditions. Baumgartner must also use an “interlock” Breathalyzer device on his car for two years or face 30 days in jail.