On January 12, 2026 at approximately 11:40 P.M., Itasca County Deputy Burns stopped a motor vehicle for speeding near the intersection of SE 4th Street and SE 7th Avenue in Grand Rapids, Itasca County. Itasca County Deputy Dillinger was in the area and responded to the location to assist. Upon his arrival, Deputy Dillinger observed Deputy Burns speaking with the driver of the vehicle while standing on the passenger side of the vehicle. Deputy Dillinger approached the driver's side of the vehicle.
From past incidents, Deputy Dillinger recognized the driver and only occupant of the vehicle as Michael Anthony Lane, Jr. [DOB REDACTED]. While speaking with Deputy Burns, Deputy Dillinger observed that Lane was speaking softly and rapidly. Deputy Dillinger noted that Lane sounded as if he was mumbling to the point where it was hard to understand. Deputy Dillinger observed Lane's right hand make involuntary movements. Once Lane realized that Deputy Dillinger was on the driver's side of his vehicle, Lane struck up a conversation with Deputy Dillinger.
It was noted that Lane brought up law enforcement personnel that worked with the drug task force and noted that he was very talkative about topics that Deputy Dillinger did not ask about. Through his training and experience, Deputy Dillinger knows that people that are under the influence of a controlled substance are often talkative and want to discuss topics related to helping out law enforcement. Spontaneously, Lane told Deputy Dillinger that he was going to be honest. Lane stated that he had and open bottle in the vehicle.
At that time, Deputy Burns observed an open Mike's Hard Lemonade in the passenger's side of the vehicle. Lane said that it was his first and only alcoholic beverage. Deputy Dillinger asked Lane if he had consumed anything else besides the one (1) alcoholic beverage, and Lane said that he did not. Lane then said that he did smoke marijuana but that he does not classify it as a drug. Lane stated that he had one joint approximately four (4) hours prior to the traffic stop. Deputy Dillinger observed that Lane's pupils were constricted, which he knows to be a sign of drug impairment.
Deputy Dillinger asked Lane why his pupils were smaller than they were supposed to be, and Lane did not have an answer. Lane then made a comment about him previously being convicted of criminal vehicular homicide while he was "f-cked up" on pills. Lane stated that he did not drive under the influence anymore due to that incident. Lane was asked to step out of the vehicle to perform field sobriety testing. Prior to performing the tests, Deputy Dillinger asked Lane if he consumed any medications that might affect his performance of such testing, considering Lane's comment of a prior criminal vehicular homicide while on pills.
