Alcohol suspected in crash involving off-duty St. Paul police officer

A St. Paul police officer who crashed into a vacant building Thursday morning is still on the job but won’t be patrolling the streets while the investigation plays out.

Alcohol was allegedly a factor in the crash involving St. Paul officer Bryan McKinnon. It happened just after midnight near the intersection of E. 3rd and Maple streets in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood, according to the State Patrol.

McKinnon was behind the wheel of a Dodge Durango that went through the side of a vacant two-story brick building. The vehicle caught fire and spread to the building, said St. Paul police spokesman Sgt. Mike Ernster.

Responding officers identified the driver as a St. Paul police officer and suspected alcohol was a factor in the crash. The investigation was turned over to the patrol, Ernster said.

McKinnon did not appear to have been seriously hurt. But a state trooper who responded to the scene observed “indicators of suspected impairment,” said Lt. Michael Lee with the Minnesota State Patrol.

McKinnon was taken to Regions Hospital. A fluid sample was collected and McKinnon was processed on “suspicion of driving while impaired,” Lee said.

McKinnon joined the St. Paul Police Department in 2022. He has not yet been charged.

“This incident is deeply concerning and does not reflect or align with the values of our department or the expectations we have of each other or the people we serve,” St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said. “We are cooperating with the Minnesota State Patrol’s investigation and are following our internal policies and procedures.”