On April 2, 2026, at approximately 12:24 A.M., an officer with the MSP Airport Police observed a silver Jeep travelling northbound on Highway 77 at 78 MPH in a 65 MPH zone. At the time weather conditions were approximately 33 degrees and a Winter Storm Warning was in effect. The Jeep crossed over the fog line on Highway 77 North past 66th Street East and the officer initiated a traffic stop at Highway 62 West at Portland Ave in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The driver was identified as SAMANTHA PAIGE SWANSON, [DOB REDACTED], “Defendant” herein.
When the officer approached, he observed that Defendant had bloodshot, watery eyes, and detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the vehicle. Defendant reported she had been at a club for a job interview and had last consumed alcohol around 8 P.M. And stated it was two shots. Defendant cooperated with standard field sobriety tests as allowed by weather conditions and revealed indicia of intoxication. Defendant submitted to a PBT which showed BAC of.14. Defendant was transported to the police station.
Defendant asked officers to collect her valuables from the car, including a cell phone, wallet, and a black backpack. At the police station Defendant submitted to a test of her breath at approximately 1:22 A.M. Which revealed BAC of 0.10. Defendant has previously been convicted of misdemeanor driving while Under the Influence on or about June 7, 2021, in 66-CR-21-381. In the booking room at the station Defendant admitted she had consumed more than two shots of alcohol that night and that she was an alcoholic.
Officers searched Defendant’s black backpack as it was going to be kept in secure property at Terminal 1 and located three packets of opened marijuana that later NIC tested positive for cannabis and weighed 14.6 grams. During the booking process at the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility staff located suspected narcotics in Defendant’s wallet. When Defendant was asked what it was, she said she hoped it tested positive for coke. The substance did NIK test positive for cocaine and weighed 0.9 grams.
Officers. Defendant is currently in custody.
