Complainant is Maple Grove Police Department Detective Conor Wollenzien. Complainant states that on October 20, 2024, officers conducted a traffic stop in the area of I-94 in the city of Maple Grove, Hennepin County, Minnesota, after observing a driver looking down in their lap while serving over the dashed lane lines multiple times. Officers made contact with the driver, RICARDO MENDOZA BANDERA [DOB REDACTED], and observed a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle. BANDERA had waterys eyes and was unable to produce a drivers license or proof of insurance.
BANDERA was asked to exit the vehicle, and upon doing so a beer can fell from the driver's side onto the ground. When speaking with BANDERA outside the vehicle, officers continued to smell the odor of alcohol coming from his person. BANDERA advised that he had been at a concert and admitted to drinking alcohol prior to driving. Officers requested he participate in Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) and he agreed. During SFSTs, officers observed BANDERA had a lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes and would not fully cooperate when officers were checking for nystagmus on HGN. On the one-legged stand, BANDERA continually swayed and had to put his foot down for balance.
BANDERA was requested to give a PBT sample and agreed, providing a result of.084 BAC. BANDERA was placed under arrest and transported to the Maple Grove Police Department where a warrant was obtained for blood or urine. During an inventory search of his vehicle, officers located several more open beer bottles throughout the back seat and on the floor, as well as two open Modelo beer cans in the driver side door compartment. BANDERA provided a urine sample and was released pending those results. The BCA toxicology report revealed BANDERA had an ethyl alcohol concentration of.06+/-.004 grams per 67 milliliters of urine with a 99.73% level of confidence.
