M., Sherburne County Deputy Mitchel Reasoner was at the window of a vehicle on a traffic stop when he noted a vehicle near him with a loud exhaust. He was at the intersection of Highway 25 near County Road 17 in Big Lake Township, Sherburne County, Minnesota. The vehicle was racing past other vehicles in the merge lane and appeared to be traveling faster than the speed limit. Deputy Reasoner then got into his vehicle, performed a U-turn to follow the vehicle onto County Road 17. As Deputy Reasoner turned onto County Road 17, the vehicle he was following extinguished its lights.
Due to the fog and the vehicle’s lights being off, Deputy Reasoner only detected the vehicle when the driver hit the brake lights. Deputy Reasoner made it to Highway 10 and County Road 17 and then deactivated his siren and emergency lights. On County Road 81 and US Highway 10, Deputy Reasoner located vehicle parts that had not been there previously. Deputy Reasoner worked with Big Lake officers near the area of County Road 81 and Lake Ridge Drive. Near that location, Deputy Reasoner observes a vehicle traveling southbound on County Road 81 that appeared to be traveling faster than the speed limit.
The vehicle’s high beams were activated. Deputy Reasoner moved his squad car aside so the vehicle could pass him. As he did, he observed that the taillights were the same as the vehicle that fled from him. The vehicle took a turn onto County Road 73 and crossed the center line. Deputy Reasoner stopped the vehicle, MN license plate [PLATE REDACTED]. Deputy Reasoner approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and requested his Minnesota Driver’s License. Deputy Reasoner identified the driver by Minnesota Driver’s License as Ryan Lee Bottema, [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter referred to as the defendant.
While speaking with the defendant, Deputy Reasoner noted that his speech was slurred. The defendant noted that his address wasn’t correct on his driver’s license. He said “you got me, you got me on the seat belt”. He said initially that he was at his buddy’s house and left his wallet there. Deputy Reasoner observed a fog light dangling near the driver’s wheel well. The passenger side wheel liner appeared to be missing. The defendant then said that this was his “work beater.” He then said that he figured the deputy was going to pull him over because he had his brights on behind the deputy.
He then said that he was at Sixberry’s in Big Lake. He said that he never hit anything with the vehicle and then changed his answer to acknowledge that he had. His eyes were bloodshot and watery and smelled strongly of alcohol. The defendant agreed to perform field sobriety tests. The defendant admitted to consuming two alcoholic beverages prior to driving. The defendant failed the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test, the walk and turn test, and the one legged stand test. The defendant refused the preliminary breath test.
