Des Peres Man Who Nearly Caused Collision Collects Fifth Impaired Driving Charge

A Des Peres man faces his fifth charge for driving under the influence of alcohol after being pulled over by St. Louis County Police.

(For instant news updates follow Patch on Facebook and Twitter.)

Todd R. Rinklin, 44, of the 12700 block of Wynfield Pines Court in Des Peres, was charged April 10 with driving while intoxicated as a chronic offender. He has four previous alcohol-related driving convictions.

St. Louis County Police said an officer pulled Rinklin over Jan. 26 after seeing him drive erratically on Carman Road at Daugherty Ferry Road just west of Des Peres. The officer reported Rinklin stopped in a traffic lane, did not signal a turn, failed to yield to an oncoming motorist and forced the driver to brake suddenly to avoid a collision.

After pulling Rinklin over, the officer smelled a strong odor of alcohol and said Rinklin had bloodshot and glassy eyes. He performed poorly on a sobriety test, and a Breathalyzer test showed his blood-alcohol content at .206 percent, according to a court document.

Rinklin has DWI convictions in 2001 in St. Louis County and in 2000 in Franklin County. He also was found guilty of driving with excessive blood-alcohol content in 1997 in St. Ann and in 1996 in St. Louis County.

According to a court document, Rinklin also was pulled over for a DWI in Des Peres April 1.

Bail for Rinklin on the Jan. 26 charge was set at $25,000. He also is ordered to wear a SCRAM device, an electronic ankle bracelet that monitors blood-alcohol levels and reports results automatically.

For more crime information on Kirkwood Patch, see the following articles:

• Drive-Thru Disturbance Ends With DWI Arrest