Thief River Falls: Man Charged After Highway 59 Stop

THIEF RIVER FALLS, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – Matthew Jon Volker, 40, faces a gross misdemeanor charge following a traffic stop on Highway 59 South.

According to a Pennington County criminal complaint, Volker was driving despite having canceled driving privileges.

Police also reported finding a small amount of THC wax during a search of the vehicle.

The incident occurred May 2, 2026, around 8:52 a.m. in Thief River Falls.

Officer Spots Vehicle on Highway 59

A Thief River Falls police officer was monitoring traffic while parked along Edgewood Drive.

The officer observed a vehicle turning south onto U.S. Highway 59.

According to the complaint, the officer believed the driver was Matthew Jon Volker.

A license records check showed Volker’s driving privileges were canceled as inimical to public safety.

The officer activated emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop.

Volker provided identification and reportedly acknowledged that his driving privileges were not valid.

During the encounter, the officer reported noticing that Volker appeared nervous.

According to court documents, Volker’s hands were trembling during the conversation.

The officer also described unusual tongue movements while speaking with him.

Investigators noted that Volker had existing court-ordered release conditions from a Polk County controlled substance case.

Those conditions reportedly allowed law enforcement to conduct searches.

The officer then searched the vehicle based on the reported observations and court conditions.

During the search, police reportedly discovered a backpack in the vehicle’s backseat.

Inside the backpack, the officer found a small amount of material described as THC wax.

The complaint does not specify the weight of the material.

It also does not identify laboratory testing that confirmed the substance.

No additional drug possession charge appears in the supplied complaint.

Police arrested Volker and transported him to the Pennington County Jail for booking.

Minnesota law prohibits operating a motor vehicle when driving privileges have been canceled under certain public safety provisions.

This status is known as cancellation as inimical to public safety.

Under Minnesota Statute 171.24, a qualifying violation is classified as a gross misdemeanor.

Prosecutors must establish that the driver knew or reasonably should have known about the cancellation.

The complaint does not explain why Volker’s driving privileges were originally canceled.

Volker faces one gross misdemeanor count of driving after cancellation.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both.

The criminal case is filed under Pennington County Court File No. 57-CR-26-606.

The complaint was issued as a summons in Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District.

No upcoming court date or final outcome appears in the supplied document.

Readers can search case information through Minnesota Court Records Online.

The charge remains an allegation and does not establish guilt.

Volker is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.