Dakota Wesleyan softball coach charged with DUI, immediately completed alcohol treatment program

MITCHELL — A Dakota Wesleyan University athletics coach is facing criminal charges after he allegedly drove intoxicated through Mitchell.

Derek Lien, 29, of Mitchell was charged May 22 with one count of driving under the influence after a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper said he blew a .09 on a preliminary breath test.

Though he has not yet entered a plea to the charge, Lien is set to appear in a Davison County courtroom on Thursday for an initial appearance.

According to court documents, shortly before 2 a.m. on May 22, Lien, Dakota Wesleyan's head softball coach, was driving near the intersection of First Avenue and Sanborn Boulevard in Mitchell when a trooper observed his vehicle had a headlight out.

After conducting a traffic stop, the trooper detected an odor of alcohol from the vehicle and observed that Lien's eyes were "glassy and blood shot," according to an arrest affidavit.

As Lien sat in the trooper's vehicle, he allegedly admitted to consuming alcohol. After subjecting Lien to field sobriety tests, he was placed under arrest.

According to eCourts, the state's online portal for the Unified Judicial System, Lien has already completed a treatment program and submitted a certificate of completion to the court.

The maximum penalty for a first conviction of driving under the influence, a Class 1 misdemeanor, is one year in a county jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Mitchell Republic does not report on all DUI charges. However, because this case involves an individual in a position of trust, we believe it is necessary to report.