On May 27, 2025, at approximately 1:21 A.M., an officer with the Lakeville Police Department stopped a motor vehicle on 179th Street West and Ganby Lane, Lakeville, Dakota County, Minnesota. The officer stopped the vehicle because it had expired registration and was displaying expired tabs. After the vehicle stopped, the officer approached the vehicle and spoke with the driver, identified as DARREN JAMES NELSON [DOB REDACTED]. While speaking with NELSON, the officer smelled the odor of cannabis coming from the vehicle.
The officer also noticed that NELSON had watery eyes. The officer returned to his squad vehicle, ran NELSON’s information, and learned that he had a revoked driver’s license. The officer reapproached the vehicle and asked NELSON about whether he had marijuana in the vehicle. NELSON admitted that he did. NELSON explained that the marijuana was packaged in a plastic- type container. NELSON provided the officer with the container when asked for it. The officer inspected the container, which held two bags holding flower-type marijuana.
The container also contained two commercial packages – one of which contained a cannabis product. NELSON admitted to smoking earlier in the day. NELSON agreed to perform field sobriety tests. NELSON performed five field tests. The officer noticed signs of impairment while NELSON performed the tests. The officer arrested NELSON for suspicion of driving under the influence. During a search of the vehicle, the officer located a black bag next to where NELSON was sitting. The bag contained a product consistent with hallucinogenic mushrooms.
The bag also contained, among other things, medical cannabis bags with NELSON’s name. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) analyzed some of the mushrooms and determined that they item tested contained psilocyn, a Schedule I controlled substance, and weighed approximately 10.314 grams. The officer talked with NELSON, who was sitting in a squad vehicle, about the located items. When 2 19HA-CR-26-32 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 1/9/2026 doing so, the officer noticed NELSON clutching something in his hands.
NELSON claimed that he was holding a location device. When officers removed NELSON to search him further, the officer noticed two small white pieces fall to the ground. The officer believed the pieces were consistent with prescription pill fragments. The officer noticed a pouch on the rear floorboard of the squad vehicle where NELSON had been sitting. The pouch contained pills, a vial containing a substance, and a baggie containing a substance. Substances located inside the vehicle later field tested positive for the presence of cocaine, which weighed approximately 0.20 grams, and methamphetamine, which weighed approximately 1.07 grams.
