Pennington County, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – Shortly after 10:30 p.m. on June 10, a Minnesota State Patrol trooper received information from Pennington County dispatch about a woman with a felony warrant traveling on Highway 59 toward Fargo, N.D. The woman, identified as Samantha Erin Hutchinson, 32, of Moorhead, has been charged with felony fifth-degree controlled substance crime – previous conviction, and misdemeanor obstructing the legal process.
Hutchinson was arrested on warrants out of Pennington, Todd, and Clay counties along with the new charges. According to the complaint, the vehicle she was in was stopped along Highway 32 in St. Hilaire. Hutchinson was a passenger in the vehicle. She was placed under arrest for the warrants, and the trooper searched her twice before transporting her to jail.
During the drive to Thief River Falls, the trooper heard the sound of cellophane packaging in the back seat but could not see Hutchinson’s hands in the camera feed. He stopped the vehicle and found plastic protruding from her clenched fist while her mouth was closed. Hutchinson then attempted to eat the package. The trooper managed to prevent her from doing so by pointing his Taser at her. A deputy assisted in gaining control of Hutchinson, during which a micro zip-top bag fell from her hand onto the door jamb. The bag allegedly contained a substance that tested presumptive positive for fentanyl.
Hutchinson claimed she had eaten a package or bag and was taken to Sanford Medical Center, remaining under the deputy’s custody. Upon reviewing the squad video, the trooper allegedly observed Hutchinson removing the micro zip-top bag from her bra and attempting to shove it down her pants. She never consumed anything. The complaint indicated that Hutchinson has several prior controlled substance convictions.