Hawley Stop Leads To 7 Felony Charges
HAWLEY (trfnews.i234.me) — A Moorhead woman is facing eight criminal charges after a late-night traffic stop near Hawley.
Danielle Marie Whitebird, 39, of Moorhead, was arrested early June 1. Deputies said the stop happened near a storage unit complex along Highway 10. The site is near the Hawley Airport.
A Clay County deputy saw Whitebird’s pickup leaving the area around 12:06 a.m. Authorities said the truck had no front license plate. Deputies also noted the storage units had a history of break-ins.
Deputies Report Tools Found In Vehicle
According to court documents, Whitebird told deputies she did not have a storage unit there. Deputies said they saw tools inside the vehicle. Those items included bolt cutters and a pry bar.
Authorities later checked the storage area. They said three storage units had been broken into. Two of them were left in disarray.
Danielle Marie Whitebird
Illegal Firearms And Ammunition Alleged
During a vehicle search, deputies reported finding a loaded .25-caliber handgun. It was found under the center console.
Deputies also reported finding a modified 12-gauge shotgun under the rear seat. The shotgun had been cut down to 25.5 inches.
Authorities said the altered weapon made it an illegal short-barreled shotgun. Deputies also recovered 20 rounds of ammunition.
Other items found included wire cutters, bolt cutters, and binoculars, according to court records.
Whitebird is barred from having firearms or ammunition. Court documents cite four prior violent felony convictions. Those include two first-degree burglary convictions with a dangerous weapon. They also include fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Threats Reported After Arrest
After her arrest, deputies said Whitebird slipped out of her handcuffs. She was inside the back of a squad car.
Authorities said she threatened to kill a deputy. She also stood on the backseat and kicked at the divider.
Deputies said she banged her head inside the vehicle. A Taser was later used to subdue her. Court records also say she threatened officers’ families after her release.
Whitebird is charged in Clay County District Court. The charges include three counts of firearm or ammunition possession by an ineligible person.
She is also charged with threats of violence and possession of a short-barreled shotgun. Other charges include possession of burglary tools and obstruction of legal process.
She also faces one gross misdemeanor count of carrying a pistol without a permit. More information on Minnesota firearm restrictions is available through the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.