North Dakota Lawmaker Sentenced for Drunk Driving Incident

A member of the North Dakota state legislature, Republican Representative Nico Rios, has been handed a sentence of unsupervised probation lasting nearly a year after pleading guilty to driving under the influence. Additionally, he must pay a fine of $1,000. The sentence, which includes a suspended jail term, mandatory evaluation, and participation in a victim impact panel, was imposed following Rios' admission of guilt on January 8. Rios had previously made derogatory and offensive remarks to law enforcement officers during the DUI arrest. The incident, which took place in Williston, North Dakota, was captured on police body camera footage. Despite mounting pressure from fellow party members and officials for his resignation, Rios has expressed no intention to step down from his position. He has, however, acknowledged the need for alcoholism treatment and has expressed remorse for his actions. Rios, who was elected unopposed in 2022, is employed in an oil field role related to well fracturing. The Republican Party holds a significant majority in the North Dakota House of Representatives.