At around 1:50 AM on April 2, 2026, officers stopped a 2015 Dodge Journey bearing Minnesota license plates SCR986 at Hyacinth Avenue and Mendota Street, St. Paul, Ramsey County for not having illuminated taillights. Officers made contact with the driver, DENZEL ISAIAH PATTON aka DENZELL ISAIAH PATTON [DOB REDACTED], and smelled an odor of alcohol coming from the Journey. When asked if he had been drinking, Patton said his girlfriend is an alcoholic. Officers found the answer odd since Patton was the only person in the Journey.
Officers saw marijuana a buds in an orange pill bottle in the center console. Officers asked Patton to step out of the Journey for field sobriety testing. Patton put his hands in his jacket pockets. An officer asked Patton to remove his hands from his pockets, and he tried to grab Patton. Patton resisted and ran to the east with his hands in his jacket pockets. Patton tripped and fell in the yard at [ADDRESS REDACTED] East, St. Paul, Ramsey County. The officer jumped on Patton. Patton reached in his waistband.
Officers eventually got Patton in handcuffs. As officers rolled Patton into the recovery position, they saw a black handgun sticking out of his left jacket pocket. Officers recovered a Taurus 9mm handgun from Patton’s pocket. The handgun did not have a magazine or a round of ammunition in the chamber. Officers saw empty alcohol containers under the Journey’s driver’s seat. Officers transported Patton to the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center at [ADDRESS REDACTED], St. Paul, Ramsey County. Correctional officers recovered a bag of 10 rounds of ammunition and a bag of suspected cocaine from Patton.
Patton was read the Breath Test Advisory. Patton was uncooperative, refused to listen, and yelled over the officer. Patton’s behavior was considered a test refusal. Patton has 5 prior felony convictions: VOCSL 1, 2 for possession of a firearm by an ineligible person, and 2 assaults in the second degree. All of Patton’s convictions are crimes of violence pursuant to Minnesota Statute 609.1095, subd. 1(d). The drug and assault convictions make Patton ineligible to possess firearms or ammunition. On July 21, 2023, Patton received a departure from the court on a felony DANCO violation in Ramsey County District Court file 62-CR-22-455.
