By Dan Linehan, Mankato Free Press

MANKATO — Three days after he led Golden Valley police on a brief pursuit, caused a minor accident and was cited for drunken driving, Mankato Mayor John Brady said he’s “initiating a process of recovery for himself and his community.”

In a statement released through Mankato attorney Calvin Johnson, Brady said he “wants a quick and speedy resolution of this serious matter.”

The statement continues: “He apologizes for the inconvenience that this may cause his professional responsibilities. He remains steadfast to providing strong and effective leadership for the citizens of Mankato. He requests your patience at this time.”

The accident delayed by two days Brady’s departure to China to promote an aviation partnership to train Chinese pilots at Minnesota State University. He said before leaving that he was on the trip to help raise the profile of the venture for their Chinese hosts because of the prestige their culture affords to mayors.

Brady, 61, first got in an accident Saturday on Highway 169 near Jordan at 6:53 a.m., the State Patrol said. There is nothing to indicate alcohol was a factor in that crash, the patrol said.

It appears this accident caused Brady to miss a flight out of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport at about 9 a.m.

The State Patrol next heard about Brady driving erratically on Interstate 35W in Minneapolis at about 1 p.m.

A Golden Valley squad car spotted Brady’s vehicle about 15 minutes later on Interstate 394. The officer followed him, lights on, for between five and 10 minutes, Golden Valley Police Chief Stacy Altonen said.

When the officer did pull Brady over, he was in Minnetonka and rear-ended another vehicle at the top of a ramp, she said, causing minor damage.

Brady was deemed too intoxicated by Golden Valley police to be placed in one of their concrete holding cells, so he was sent to a Minneapolis detox facility. He flew to China Monday morning, Mankato City Manager Pat Hentges said.

Brady’s statement said more information would be provided when he returns from China. The trip was planned to last through Monday.

Golden Valley police are recommending charges of failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, hitting the vehicle in the off ramp, driving while impaired and driving with an open bottle of alcohol. Altonen said the contents of the bottle are not public information at this time.

Formal charges could take weeks and depend on when the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension can process Brady’s blood-alcohol sample.

Mankato’s high-profile alcohol-related deaths — including the 2007 alcohol poisoning death of Amanda Jax on her 21st birthday — have led some to conclude the city has a culture of alcohol abuse.

Shortly after the bar where Jax drank closed, Brady told Minnesota Public Radio: “The citizens suffer from some of the activities that over-consuming people do in the neighborhoods, especially in the summer. It’s not the kind of behavior we want to continue in our community.”

Brady also volunteered to lead a public discussion on alcohol issues in 2006, according to City Council minutes.

Brady has filed for re-election, and his name will appear with Eric Anderson on the ballot in November.

“It’s probably not appropriate for me to comment until all the information is made available to the public,” Anderson said.

Brady, who has been on the council for 14 years, pleaded guilty to a 1992 charge of drunken driving in Blue Earth County.