Correction: Grand Rapids Man Arrested in Connection with Vehicle/Pedestrian Hit-and-Run Near Waubun

Correction: This story corrects the blood alcohol concentration from .33 to .033. Minnesota’s legal alcohol-concentration driving limit is 0.08, but motorists can be arrested for DWI at lower levels.

Correction 2: The original press release from November 20 noted that witnesses believed the vehicle Bilden was driving was a black SUV. The criminal complaint filed on November 21 says the vehicle Bilden was driving when he was stopped by deputies was a 2015 grey Cadillac XST.

A 35-year-old Grand Rapids man has been arrested in connection with a vehicle/pedestrian hit-and-run collision near Waubun.

According to the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, a 27-year-old woman from Lengby was struck by a vehicle around 8:30 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of Highways 59 and 113. Rainey Midbo was life flighted to Fargo with serious injuries, where her condition is unknown.

Spence Bilden

Witnesses saw a black SUV continue southbound on Highway 59, and a deputy from Becker County located the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The vehicle, which court documents say was a 2015 grey Cadillac XST, had front end damage and a light out.

The driver, Spence Bilden of Grand Rapids, told the deputy he had hit a deer, but the deputy detected signs of impairment and conducted field sobriety tests that showed Bilden was under the influence of alcohol. Bilden’s preliminary breath test showed a blood alcohol concentration of .033.

Bilden was arrested for criminal vehicular operation and leaving the scene of an accident.