Bemidji: Melinda Ingalls Jailed on DWI Charges
BEMIDJI (trfnews.i234.me) — Melinda Ingalls was booked into the Beltrami County Jail on June 30, 2026.
The jail record lists two gross misdemeanor DWI charge entries under case number 26-010108.
One charge alleges Ingalls operated a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance present.
The listed law excludes cannabis, hemp products, and tetrahydrocannabinols from that specific provision.
The second charge alleges third-degree driving while impaired with one aggravating factor.
The booking record does not identify the alleged substance or explain the aggravating factor.
It also does not provide the traffic stop location or describe how the case began.
Minnesota DWI Charges
Minnesota Statute 169A.20 lists several conditions supporting a driving while impaired charge.
The cited provision covers certain Schedule I or II drugs, including their metabolites.
Minnesota Statute 169A.26 defines third-degree DWI when one aggravating factor is alleged.
The law classifies third-degree DWI as a gross misdemeanor.
The two entries may come from the same alleged driving incident.
Separate charge entries do not mean separate arrests or separate traffic stops.
Custody and Court Status
The jail record lists Ingalls at 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 145 pounds.
It lists brown hair and brown eyes.
The bail or fine field showed $0.00 when the information was provided.
That amount does not explain whether bail was denied, waived, or not yet set.
No court date appeared in the supplied booking record.
The case was assigned to Beltrami County District Court in Bemidji.
Court schedules can change after prosecutors file or amend documents.
Readers can check the Beltrami County District Court page for public court information.
Booking Records Are Not Convictions
A jail booking does not prove guilt.
Criminal charges remain allegations unless proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Ingalls is presumed innocent while the case moves through the legal process.
Charges can be amended, dismissed, or resolved through later court action.
More details may appear in a complaint or probable cause statement.
Those records could explain the alleged substance, aggravating factor, and traffic stop circumstances.
TRF News will continue reviewing public records for updates in this case.
I’m Chris Harper, reporting for TRF News.