An Ogilvie man is facing felony drug charges and other misdemeanor charges after he was pulled over for a traffic stop in North Branch Township.
Daniel James Stewart, 30, was charged March 22 before Judge James Dehn in Isanti County District Court in Cambridge with felony fifth-degree drug possession; misdemeanor driving with a suspended license; and petty misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail for Stewart was set at $25,000 without conditions or $10,000 with conditions and his next court appearance for March 31.
The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. March 19 after the Isanti County Sheriff’s Department Dispatch learned the North Branch Police Department had a vehicle pulled over for suspicion of impaired driving near the 8200 block of County Road 5 Northwest in North Branch Township.
The call originally was dispatched from Isanti County at 4:58 a.m. as a driving complaint involving a wrong-way driver, and due to the direction of travel and proximity, Chisago County was advised.
According to the criminal complaint:
Upon arrival at the scene of the traffic stop, Chisago County Deputy Sheriff James Mott reported North Branch Police Officer Rebecca Steele was not able to detect any use of alcohol coming from the driver, Stewart. However, a check of the driving record with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety did show his driving status was suspended.
Steele described Stewart’s driving conduct as crossing over the center line, weaving and almost causing a head-on crash with her squad, and he continuously used his turn signal where there was no place to turn.
During Isanti County Deputy Jason Sievert’s conversation with Stewart, he learned Stewart was reportedly at a friend’s house in Bock doing some work and was on his way back to Ogilvie, which he told Sievert was only a couple of turns away. He said the truck he was using belonged to a friend.
Stewart was advised he was approximately 57 miles away from his reported destination and due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding his story, Sievert requested consent to search the vehicle, and was given consent by Stewart.
Upon searching the truck’s glove box, a prescription bottle that had been modified into a methamphetamine pipe was located, and a crystal-like substance similar to methamphetamine was also visible inside, along with burnt residue on the end of a broken glass tube. A small clear plastic bag was also located containing a crystal-like substance, which did field-test positive as methamphetamine. A small pendulum type scale was also located.
On the passenger side floor board, Sievert observed an unzipped backpack with tools, a cellphone with a cracked screen and a hose attached to a torch tip. On the front passenger side seat was a small propane canister with a torch tip attached. Based upon Sievert’s training and experience, he observed these items together were consistent with tools used to commit burglaries. Stewart said the items were not his.
Stewart was placed under arrest. Upon arrival at the Isanti County Jail, Stewart was given the opportunity to provide a Mirandized statement.
The owner of the truck was contacted and said he did allow Stewart the use of the truck, but denied know anything about the items found in the truck.