Police: Woman Accused of DWI Drugs After Woodbury Accident

Woodbury Police accuse a St. Paul woman of driving while impaired based upon medication after she was allegedly involved in a January car accident. Law enforcement claims that the woman was in and out of coherence after being in the accident. Police had been in the area of her home to investigate a call reporting an alleged domestic dispute.

Law enforcement first made contact with the woman, who is now charged with DWI drug charges and felony drug possession, in relation to the alleged domestic dispute. Police say the woman was emotional and crying during the police contact, and authorities later released her from the scene.

Officers claim that they found the woman in her car roughly two blocks from the home where law enforcement had first released her. Police say the car had been in an accident, and the woman was sitting in the driver’s seat of the car.

Police claim that the woman was still emotional at the car accident scene. Authorities claim that, at times after the accident, the woman seemed incoherent, while at other times, she regained clarity and gave information to the officers. It is not clear from the media when law enforcement began to suspect that the woman was under the influence after the car accident.

Law enforcement apparently called in a so-called drug-recognition expert. The DRE claims that while officers were trying to learn what was on the woman’s mind during the second police contact of the night, the woman responded, “Mary had a little lamb.”

Apparently, law enforcement conducted a search of the woman’s purse. Police claim to have found pills, including four clonazepam, one trazadone, one cyclobenzaprine and 24 tablets of duly prescribed codeine during the search.

Law enforcement reportedly obtained a blood sample from the woman. Police say test results revealed several controlled substances in her blood, ranging from hydrocodone to morphine and other substances. It is not clear from the media what lab analyzed the blood sample.

The woman is now formally charged with felony drug possession, which generally carries maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison. She has also been charged with fourth-degree DWI on the DWI drug allegations.

Source: Woodbury Patch, “Apparently Drug-Addled Woman Tells Woodbury Police ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’,” July 25, 2012

Max Keller has won countless jury trial cases involving misdemeanors and felonies, sex crimes, and DWI’s. He is a member of the Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice, which only allows the top 50 criminal defense attorneys in the state as members. Max is a frequent speaker at CLE’s and is often asked for advice by other defense attorneys across Minnesota.

Years of Experience: Approx. 20 years
Minnesota Registration Status: Active
Bar & Court Admissions: State of Minnesota Minnesota State Court Minnesota Federal Court 8th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals State of Maryland

What to Do If You Have Been Charged with a Criminal Offense

The timeline for filing pre-trial motions in a criminal case in Minnesota varies with the type of motion. A motion related to the discovery of evidence or dismissal of a criminal case must be filed at least three days before the Omnibus Hearing. The prosecution is then allowed to respond to the motions, and the court sets the timeline for these responses.
Knowing the tips for interacting with law enforcement as a suspect in Minnesota can keep you from saying or doing something that incriminates you. These tips include understanding your rights while interacting with law enforcement, knowing how to handle search and seizure, and seeking the early intervention of a criminal defense lawyer. You should apply these tips when you are stopped for questioning, a suspect in a criminal investigation, pulled over in a car, and during arrest, arrest processing, and custody.
You may need to hire a criminal defense lawyer even if you have not been charged. A criminal defense lawyer protects your rights when law enforcement officers are investigating you for a crime. Without a lawyer, you might say something that could be incriminating or misconstrued. Your lawyer can engage with the police or the prosecutors and provide evidence that prevents them from filing formal charges. Your lawyer can also go through your case and prepare a defense strategy if there is a possibility of you getting charged.