On May 20, 2025, at approximately 9:00 P.M. While in the City of Duluth, County of St. Louis, State of Minnesota, a Duluth Police Officer was on routine patrol in the area of Piedmont Avenue and W. 1st Street. When the officer approached a 4-way stop sign at the intersection of Piedmont Avenue and W. 1st Street, they observed a vehicle driving downbound Piedmont Avenue not stop for the stop sign and continued through the intersection. The officer noted the weather conditions as rainy, windy, and dark outside.
After the officer observed the vehicle failing to stop for the posted stop sign, the officer turned left, got behind the vehicle, and initiated the squad's overhead emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop. The vehicle, bearing Minnesota license plate: [PLATE REDACTED], immediately pulled over. As the officer approached the vehicle, the officer identified themselves as a police officer with the Duluth Police Department, and their reason for stopping the vehicle. The driver said he thought slowing down and continuing on due to him not seeing any traffic was good enough.
The officer informed driver the posted stop signs requires a complete stop. The driver did not have an identification on his person, but provided the officer with a verbal identification as Jonathan Frank Gaitan [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter "Defendant." The officer ran Defendant's name and located a photo of Defendant in the St. Louis County records system, which positively identified the driver as Defendant. A computer check with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety listed Defendant's driving status as Canceled-Inimical to Public Safety with no intervening reinstatement of driving privileges.
