On August 15, 2025, at approximately 7:10 P.M., an officer was on patrol in the area of Yankee Doodle Road and Coachman Road in the City of Eagan, the County of Dakota, the State of Minnesota when a silver sedan was observed with dark window tint and the driver appeared to be looking down, consistent with cellphone use. The officer followed the vehicle and observed it drifting left, touching the solid white line before drifting back to the right, consistent with distracted driving. Based on the driving conduct and the dark tint, the officer initiated a traffic stop on Highway 13 at Silver Bell Road.
Upon stopping the vehicle, the officer also noticed that the registration had expired in June 2025 and the registered owner had a revoked drivers license. Upon approaching the vehicle, the driver was identified as EDWIN EDGARDO MALDONADO- ALONSO [DOB REDACTED], herein the Defendant. The officer explained the reason for the stop and the Defendant admitted to using his cellphone while driving. The officer asked the Defendant for his license and insurance and the Defendant advised that he did not have a license and the vehicle was not insured.
The officer ran the Defendant’s name and confirmed his license was revoked and he had several failure to appear notations from citations for driving after revocation and suspension. The officer also observed that the Defendant had been previously cited for failure to provide proof of insurance. Based on the prior history of failing to appear and respond to citations and his ongoing driving without a valid license, the officer determined that a citation would not be enough to ensure his attendance at court and the Defendant was placed under arrest.
The Defendant was searched incident to arrest and officers located a small, clear plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance in his right coin pocket. The Defendant advised the officer that the substance was cocaine. The substance was collected and submitted to the Dakota County Drug Task Force for preliminary NIK testing. The substance weighed 0.87 grams and tested positive for the presence of fentanyl and cocaine.
