On December 8, 2025 at approximately 12:15 A.M., an officer from the Cold Spring/Richmond Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for an obstructed front license plate. The stop occurred near the intersection of Main Street and Jay Avenue in the City of Richmond, County of Stearns, State of Minnesota. Upon contact with the driver, the driver rolled his window down two inches. After explaining the reason for the stop the driver became upset and refused to identify himself. The driver ultimately rolled up the window and continued to refuse to provide identification.
Back up officers arrived on scene and spike strips were placed in front of the vehicle to stop the driver from fleeing. The driver was asked multiple times to identify himself and informed what possible actions the officers would have to take if he continued to refuse. The driver continued to refuse to identify himself and began shinning a flash light into officers' eyes impeding their vision into the vehicle. Officers broke the front driver's side window to get access to the driver and attempt an arrest.
As officers were attempting to unlock the driver's side door the driver continued to kick officers' hands to prevent them from doing so. The driver then began to swing the flashlight at officers, making contact with one of the officer's arms. After several minutes of noncompliance officers had to break the other window and pull the driver out of the car. The driver was ultimately identified as Joseph James Sufka, [DOB REDACTED]. The defendant was cleared by medical and transported to the Stearns County Jail.
Complainant has reason to believe and does believe that all of the above information is true and correct. The above facts constitute your complainant's basis for believing that the above-named defendant, on or about the 8th day of December of 2025, in the City of Richmond, County of Stearns, State of Minnesota, committed the offenses described herein.
