DUI charge dropped; no alcohol in man’s system after UTV crash that injured 5

LISBON, N.D. (KFGO) – The Ransom County State’s Attorney has dismissed a charge against a man accused of being intoxicated after a UTV crash in southeast North Dakota last month.

State’s Attorney Fallon Kelly says the DUI charge against 36-year-old Zachary Muralt of Lisbon should be dismissed because State Lab testing showed no indication of alcohol in Muralt’s system.

Muralt was driving the UTV on a minimum maintenance road southeast of Elliott on April 10 when he lost control. The UTV went off the road. Muralt over corrected the vehicle back onto the road and it rolled.

Muralt and Kaci Current, 20, suffered serious injuries. Chloe Muralt, 29, and two male juveniles were also hurt.

The Highway Patrol report said Muralt was arrested for DUI. The motion to dismiss the DUI charge was filed Wednesday.

The Highway Patrol provided the following statement to KFGO News:

“When charges are filed, that information is considered public and is included in North Dakota State Patrol media releases. The Patrol issues releases for serious injury and fatal crashes due to the high volume of media inquiries, providing a streamlined and consistent approach for transparency.

In this case, the priority for responding troopers was providing life-saving assistance and coordinating emergency medical care for the injured individuals. Based on the totality of the circumstances at the scene, charges were filed as part of the investigation. The case was later reviewed through the judicial process and ultimately dismissed.”