Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson says he's not seeking re-election this November after a drunk driving crash and conviction, sharing in a statement Wednesday that he plans to serve out the remainder of his term.

Hutchinson was hospitalized after he rolled his county SUV early Dec. 8 on Interstate 94 near Alexandria. He was attending a law enforcement conference and was found crawling on the shoulder of the highway, as seen in dash camera video released last month.

He can be heard in the video released by the State Patrol, telling an officer that he was not behind the wheel of the heavily damaged SUV.

Hutchinson was sentenced to two years of probation. In a written statement after pleading guilty, Hutchinson said he was enrolled in an outpatient treatment program and that he had returned to work as sheriff.

In a new statement released Wednesday morning, Hutchinson said he was suspending his re-election campaign.

“After spending time over the past month having discussions with family, friends, and supporters, I have made the difficult decision to not seek re-election for Hennepin County Sheriff in the 2022 election. Early this morning, I informed my staff of my decision to not seek re-election,” Hutchinson said in the statement.

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“My staff have been very supportive during this difficult time and they have remained committed to serving the over 1.2 million residents of Hennepin County. I will not be resigning as Sheriff and will finish serving out my term in office,” Hutchinson continued. “I refuse to be pushed out of my role as Sheriff by political figures with alternative motives which would likely come at the cost of the safety and security of the residents of Hennepin County.”

In the weeks after the December crash, a growing number of officials had called for Hutchinson to resign his post, including Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.

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