Beltrami County (trfnews.i234.me) A Bemidji woman is facing a gross misdemeanor charge after a reported DWI incident in Beltrami County.
According to a criminal complaint, Danyl Shirley Peterson, 44, was charged with refusing to submit to a chemical test. The case was filed in the Minnesota District Court.
Incident Report
Court records say the incident happened on March 24, 2026, at about 4:32 p.m. Police were sent to a Dollar General in Bemidji. A caller reported a possibly intoxicated woman in a pickup.
When officers arrived, they found Peterson in the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Silverado. The truck was not running. The keys were in the ignition, according to the complaint.
The complaint says Peterson showed several signs of impairment. Those signs included slurred speech, drowsiness, and the smell of alcohol. An open liquor bottle was also seen, according to court records.
After Peterson got out of the vehicle, officers reported she was unsteady. The complaint also says she admitted she had “drank a lot.” Court records further state that she admitted to methamphetamine use.
Test Results and Alleged Refusal
Authorities said Peterson did not perform field sobriety tests well. A preliminary breath test showed a reported alcohol concentration of .265, according to the complaint.
Investigators also reported finding several empty vodka bottles in the vehicle.
Peterson was then taken into custody. The complaint says she agreed to a breath test after being read Minnesota’s breath test advisory. That law is outlined by the Minnesota Legislature’s DWI statutes.
At the jail, court records say Peterson failed to provide a proper breath sample. Investigators said she did not follow directions and did not give a steady breath. The complaint says she was warned that failure to comply would count as a refusal.
Authorities ultimately listed the test as a refusal.
Prior Record Cited
The complaint states Peterson has prior DWI convictions from 2010 and 2016. It also says her driving privileges were revoked at the time of this incident.
The current charge is a gross misdemeanor. A charge is only an allegation. The case will now move through the court process.
Readers can review Minnesota court information through the Minnesota Court Records system.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
