On December 24, 2025, officers responded to an Automated License Plate Reader hit on a vehicle that had previously been reported as stolen in the area of Regent Avenue and Imperial Drive in Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County, Minnesota. An officer followed the vehicle and saw it pull in into a business at [ADDRESS REDACTED] North. The officers saw the driver of the vehicle open the door and get out, at which point they initiated a stop. The officer informed the driver, later identified as Phillip Anthony Smith, [DOB REDACTED], “Defendant” herein, to exit the vehicle.
Defendant re-entered the vehicle as though moving items around. When additional officers arrived, the Defendant was arrested. Defendant asked what he was being arrested for and made a comment that he had a warrant which was later confirmed for Fourth Degree Damage to Property. The Defendant was the sole occupant of the vehicle. Officers confirmed the vehicle, a white pickup bearing Minnesota license plate [PLATE REDACTED], had been reported as stolen out of Minneapolis. Officers determined it was appropriate to impound the vehicle and searched the truck.
Officers located a crossbody bag on the floor of the back seat directly behind the right side of the driver’s seat, and when they looked inside saw that the bag contained a handgun. The firearm was examined and had 10 live rounds in the magazine and a live round in the chamber. Also, inside the crossbody bag officers found a passport card and a Minnesota identification card for the Defendant. Officers also located a small glass container with a twistable cap that contained suspected narcotics. Defendant was searched incident to arrest and in his left trouser pocket officers located a clear resealable bag that appeared to contain a white crystalline substance.
Officers suspected it was methamphetamine based on their training and experience. Defendant also admitted, “yeah it’s crystal meth.” Defendant reported a high level of anxiety and chest pains and was seen by paramedics and taken to the hospital. In his transport from the hospital to the jail Defendant claimed he had a permit to carry but was looking to get it renewed and said, “I’ve had ***king hella guns.” In a permit check, dispatch indicated that Defendant did not have a permit to carry. The plastic baggie recovered from the Defendant contained approximately 1.56 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
The contests of the twistable cap container weighed approximately 0.28 grams and also field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Defendant is currently in custody.
