Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) — A Thief River Falls woman faces three charges after a March 6 traffic stop.
The allegations appear in a criminal complaint filed in Pennington County District Court.
Prosecutors charged Samantha Elizabeth Chaput with a meth-related crime involving a child. They also charged her with fifth-degree drug possession and second-degree DWI.
Charges Filed In Pennington County
The complaint says Chaput was stopped after officers saw her drive away in a blue SUV. Court records say her license was revoked at the time.
The filing says the SUV stopped in the road, then backed up and pulled over. The complaint says a toddler was in a car seat inside the vehicle.
The complaint also identifies Jane Marie Drury as the front passenger. The filing says Chaput told officers she thought the passenger wanted her to turn around.
According to the complaint, officers saw signs of possible drug impairment. The filing lists jaw clenching, eyelid tremors, and a dry mouth.
The complaint says Chaput completed field sobriety tests. The filing says she showed clues on some of those tests.
What The Complaint Says Happened
Chaput denied recent meth use, according to the complaint. The filing says she later said she had used meth before her husband went to prison.
After the tests, officers arrested Chaput on suspicion of DWI. The complaint says she then had a medical episode and was taken to Sanford Health.
According to the filing, hospital staff later found suspected drug items. The complaint says a small container held white residue.
A field test was presumptively positive for methamphetamine, according to the complaint. The filing also says suspected paraphernalia was found under a hospital bed.
Investigators later obtained a warrant for a blood or urine sample, the complaint says. Chaput agreed to a blood draw, according to the filing.
Prior Record And Next Steps
The complaint also cites a 2020 DWI case and a prior controlled substance conviction. Prosecutors say those prior cases are part of this new filing.
Charges are accusations, not convictions. Chaput is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Readers can search Minnesota court records at Minnesota Court Records Online. Readers can also review the cited statutes at Minnesota Statute 152.137, Minnesota Statute 152.025, and Minnesota Statute 169A.20.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.