You remember that feeling back in 2012? Adrian Peterson was basically a god in Minnesota. He was coming off an ACL tear and putting up 2,000 yards like it was nothing. He was the "All Day" guy. But lately, the headlines haven't been about his speed on the turf. They’ve been about his speed on the highway. Specifically, that 3:20 a.m. stop in Richfield that led to the Adrian Peterson Hennepin DWI charge.
It's a weird situation. One minute he’s on stage at U.S. Bank Stadium, soaking up the love from Vikings fans at a draft party, and a few hours later, he's in a jail cell.
The Traffic Stop on Highway 77
Honestly, the details from the Minnesota State Patrol are pretty blunt. Around 3:20 a.m. on April 25, 2025, a trooper spotted a black Audi Q5 flying down southbound Highway 77. We aren't talking about a little bit over the limit. Peterson was clocked at 83 mph in a 55 mph zone.
That's 28 over.
When the trooper pulled him over near 66th Street—which is just a stone's throw from the airport—things got complicated. The State Patrol reported that Peterson wasn't alone; he had four other people in the car with him. According to Lt. Mike Lee, Peterson was cooperative during the stop, but the breathalyzer told a story that "cooperation" couldn't fix.
His blood alcohol concentration (BAC) came back at 0.14%.
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In Minnesota, the legal limit is 0.08%. He was nearly double that. Because it was his first major impaired driving offense in the state recently, he was hit with a fourth-degree DWI, which is a misdemeanor.
Why This Hit Different for Vikings Fans
People in the Twin Cities have a complicated relationship with Peterson. We’ve seen the MVP trophies, but we’ve also seen the child abuse charges from 2014 and the $12 million debt issues.
Seeing him booked into the Hennepin County Jail at 5:16 a.m. felt like another chapter in a long, tiring book. He was released just a couple of hours later after posting a $4,000 bond.
The timing was the kicker.
He had just been at the Vikings' official draft party. He was doing interviews, talking about how he still "has the heart" and feels like he could still play. Then, instead of a team-provided shuttle (which the Vikings reportedly offered to former players that night), he ended up behind the wheel of that Audi.
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The Legal Reality of a Hennepin County DWI
If you're wondering what a fourth-degree DWI actually entails in Minnesota, it’s basically the "entry-level" charge for impaired driving, provided there aren't "aggravating factors" like a BAC over 0.16 or prior convictions within the last ten years.
- Potential Jail Time: Up to 90 days (though rare for first-timers).
- Fines: Usually maxes out around $1,000 plus fees.
- License Revocation: This is the part that usually hurts most people—losing the right to drive for 30 to 90 days.
For a guy like Peterson, the fine is pocket change. The reputation hit? That’s different. Especially since this wasn't his only run-in in 2025. Later that year, in October, he was arrested again for a DWI and a weapons charge down in Sugar Land, Texas.
It makes the Hennepin incident look less like a one-time lapse in judgment and more like a pattern.
A History of High Speeds
This wasn't even the first time Peterson got heavy-footed in the Twin Cities. Back in 2009, he was caught doing 109 mph in a 55 mph zone on Crosstown Highway 62 in Edina. He eventually pleaded that down to 99 mph.
You’d think after a decade and a half, the urge to go 30+ over the limit would fade.
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What Happens Now?
If you're facing a similar situation in Hennepin County, Peterson’s case actually offers a few lessons. First, the State Patrol doesn't care if you're a local legend. Second, 0.14% is a tough number to argue against in court.
Actionable Steps if You're Dealing with a DWI:
- Get the Police Report: Just like the media did with Peterson, you need to see exactly what the trooper wrote. Check the calibration logs for the breathalyzer.
- Evaluate the Stop: Was there actually a reason to pull you over? In Peterson's case, 83 in a 55 is a pretty "ironclad" reason for a stop.
- Check Your "Aggravating Factors": In Minnesota, having passengers (especially kids) or a very high BAC can bump a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor or even a felony.
Peterson’s court date was set for May 9, 2025, at the Hennepin County District Court. While he managed to avoid the worst-case legal scenarios for that specific stop, the court of public opinion has been much less forgiving.
It’s a reminder that no matter how many yards you’ve rushed for, the rules of the road in Richfield remain exactly the same.
To stay on top of the legal outcomes or check your own status, you can search the Minnesota Trial Court Public Access (MGA) system using a case number or name. This is where the final disposition of the Adrian Peterson Hennepin DWI will be officially archived.