Mahnomen Traffic Stop Leads to DWI Charge

Mahnomen (trfnews.i234.me) Brandon Donavan White has been charged in Mahnomen County after a February traffic stop. The case is a gross misdemeanor DWI charge.

The charge was filed in the Ninth Judicial District Court. The complaint accuses White of driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. It is not a conviction.

What the complaint says

According to the complaint, an officer stopped a dark SUV at about 6:41 p.m. on February 5. The stop happened on Main Street North in Mahnomen. The complaint says the officer heard a very loud exhaust before the stop.

The complaint says White was driving. It says Rhea Rae Bigeagle was in the front passenger seat. It says Thomas Allen King Sr. was in the back seat.

Court records say the officer noticed White’s pupils looked smaller than expected for the light. The complaint also says the rear passenger was not wearing a seat belt.

Items found during the stop

The filing says the officer saw a hypodermic needle on King’s lap. It also says a yellow paper bindle was found on the rear floor area. The complaint says the bindle held a white crystal substance.

According to the complaint, the substance was later field tested and tested positive for methamphetamine. The filing lists the weight as 0.3 grams, including packaging.

Statements and tests

The complaint says White first told the officer he last used on Sunday, February 1. It says he later admitted to using earlier that same day. The complaint says White also said he smoked heroin a couple of hours before the stop.

The filing says White then took field sobriety tests. The complaint lists several signs of impairment during those tests.

White was arrested and taken to the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office. The complaint says a judge approved a warrant for a blood or urine sample. It says White agreed to give a blood sample.

Case status

The complaint does not list lab results from that sample. It also does not show a conviction. A criminal charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt.

The complaint also notes a prior DWI refusal conviction for White. Minnesota’s controlled-substance DWI law is listed in section 169A.20. Third-degree DWI is listed in section 169A.26 when one aggravating factor is present.

Readers can review public case information through Minnesota Court Records Online.

I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.