On February 3, 2026, at around 1:44am, Deputy Cody Lanz of the Chisago County Sheriff's Office noted a vehicle bearing MN plate ZEP595 traveling at a speed of 95 mph in a 70-mph zone on I-35 North in North Branch, Chisago County, Minnesota. Deputy Lanz initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver and registered owner of the vehicle, TATIANNA THURZA KIRK, [DOB REDACTED] ("Defendant" herein). Deputy Lanz immediately noted a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and observed that Defendant's eyes were bloodshot and watery.
Defendant advised that she had just gotten back from a trip to Arizona and was on her way home. Based on his observations, Deputy Lanz asked Defendant to exit the vehicle to complete standardized field sobriety testing to ensure she was safe to drive. After observing some indicators of intoxication during the testing, deputies asked Defendant if there was any unsealed marijuana in the vehicle, to which Defendant replied that there was. Based on this admission, deputies conducted a search of the vehicle and did locate two Ziploc baggies of marijuana on the passenger front seat.
Also located during the search was an unlabeled prescription bottle containing two pills each stamped with "20" on one side and "b973" on the other. The pills were identified using a pill-identifier website as amphetamine, a schedule II controlled substance.
