On March 3, 2026, at 10:41 P.M., Minnesota State Troopers were working their regular shift in a fully marked squad equipped with a dash camera and wearing body worn cameras. While traveling westbound on Interstate 94 near Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, Troopers observed a white Toyota Yaris displaying Minnesota Temporary Tag #03521873 traveling without its headlights activated. Troopers later identified the driver as KEASHONE ALEXIS SMITH [DOB REDACTED], hereafter Defendant.
Troopers ran the temporary tag and learned it was expired with an expiration date of March 1, 2025. Troopers observed the vehicle accelerate and travel at a visibly high rate of speed while passing other traffic. Using a calibrated squad speedometer, Troopers paced the vehicle traveling over 75 mph in a 60- mph zone. Troopers activated their emergency lights and attempted to conduct a traffic stop near westbound I-94 and 42nd Avenue in Minneapolis. Defendant was slow to respond to Troopers’ emergency lights and initially appeared as though she would pull over.
Defendant pulled onto the right shoulder but continued driving at approximately 60 mph before exiting onto the ramp from westbound I-94 to 49th Avenue. Defendant continued up the ramp and appeared to signal a right turn but instead turned left onto westbound 49th Avenue. Troopers activated their siren, but Defendant failed to yield and continued westbound, running the stop sign at 49th Avenue and Lyndale Avenue. Due to Defendant’s disregard for traffic control devices and the residential area, Troopers discontinued the pursuit and deactivated their emergency equipment.
Troopers notified dispatch that the vehicle had fled. Troopers continued to follow the vehicle at normal speeds without emergency equipment. Defendant then turned northbound onto 6th Street North and shortly thereafter onto 49½ Avenue North, a dead-end roadway. Defendant stopped the vehicle on the right side of the street. Troopers pulled in behind the vehicle and reinitiated the traffic stop. Defendant exited the vehicle and walked toward the squad. Troopers immediately detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Defendant as she spoke.
Defendant stated that she did not pull over because she knew she did not have a driver’s license and did not want to get into trouble. Defendant admitted she saw Troopers’ emergency lights but continued driving because she was scared. Troopers asked Defendant if she had consumed alcohol. Defendant initially stated she had one Monaco cocktail at approximately 7:00 P.M. Troopers administered the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) field sobriety test after confirming Defendant understood the instructions.
During the test, Troopers observed four clues of impairment, including lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes and distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation in both eyes. Troopers again asked Defendant what she had consumed. Defendant then stated she had consumed a shot of Patron, one Monaco cocktail, and a “Boke,” which she described as a small cocktail. After a mouth check, Defendant provided a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) sample which showed a result of 0.091 alcohol concentration. Based on Defendant’s driving conduct, odor of alcohol, admission to drinking, field sobriety test results, and the PBT result, Troopers placed Defendant under arrest for Driving While Impaired.
