Bemidji Man Charged After Highway 2 Stop

Bemidji (trfnews.i234.me) — A Bemidji man faces a gross misdemeanor charge following an April traffic stop in Beltrami County.

Gregory Scott Smith is charged with driving after cancellation as inimical to public safety.

The charge was filed in Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District Court. The case number is 04-CR-26-1082.

A criminal complaint contains allegations. Smith is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Vehicle Stopped on Highway 2

The complaint says authorities stopped a white GMC Terrain at about 9:02 a.m. on April 24.

The stop occurred near U.S. Highway 2 and Old Whitetail Drive Northwest.

Authorities said the vehicle was connected to a Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force investigation.

Investigators reportedly learned the vehicle was traveling east from the Shevlin area.

A deputy watched the vehicle pass before following it on Highway 2.

The deputy then confirmed the vehicle’s license plate and began the traffic stop.

Smith identified himself using a Minnesota identification card and a tribal identification card.

The complaint says no other people were inside the vehicle.

Authorities told Smith that his driving privileges were canceled as inimical to public safety.

Smith was arrested and transported to the Beltrami County Jail.

The complaint also lists several earlier Minnesota convictions involving driving and drug offenses.

Those cases include prior convictions for driving after cancellation and driving while impaired.

One listed driving-after-cancellation conviction occurred in January 2026.

The current charge is a gross misdemeanor under Minnesota Statute 171.24.

A conviction could bring up to 364 days in jail.

The court could also impose a fine of up to $3,000.

Case information may be available through Minnesota Court Records Online.

I’m Chris Harper, reporting for TRF News.