On January 12, 2026, at approximately 10:47 P.M., Mower County Sheriff's Deputy LaCore, responded to the 200 block of 6th St NW in the city of Austin in Mower County. He was backing up Officer Heeren of the Austin Police Department at a traffic stop. LaCore exited his squad car and observed a 2011 Black Impala Chevrolet MN Plate WU3139 northbound. He observed the female driver fixated on the traffic stop and the vehicle serving towards the curb with the passenger side tires contacting the snow and ice on the curb.
LaCore saw the vehicle quickly adjust and continued northbound. He conducted a traffic stop at 4th Ave NW and 5th St NW, Austin, MN on the vehicle. He approached the vehicle on the driver’s side. LaCore later identified the driver as JENNI LYNN JOHNSON, [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter the defendant. LaCore informed the defendant of the reason for the stop, and she advised that she was distracted by the traffic stop and turned her head because she was being nosy. LaCore asked the defendant for her driver’s license, and she stated she did not have it.
The defendant stated, “I have not been on the road in a long time, this is why." He asked her if that was due to her being distracted behind the wheel. The defendant responded, “Because I shouldn’t be on the road, that’s why." LaCore observed the defendant to have bloodshot eyes and pupils that were slow to respond to his flashlight. He observed her to have a red flushed face, and she was sweating (it was 37 degrees Fahrenheit outside). LaCore noted that the defendant's fingers would twitch periodically.
LaCore returned to his squad car and ran the defendant’s driving status through the state system; finding she was cancelled inimical to public safety. He returned to the driver’s side and observed her smoking a freshly lit cigarette. The defendant's movements were quick at times while she was attempting to locate her insurance, and her speech was fast. LaCore asked her if she took prescription medications due to the signs of impairment he was observing from her. She advised that she took her Trazodone 45 minutes before driving and that if she does not go to bed, the pill has a reverse effect.
LaCore asked her if she took any stimulants tonight, and she stated “No”. She clarified that she had been clean for 7 years and smokes marijuana. LaCore asked when the last time she smoked marijuana was, and she advised me about 2 hours prior. LaCore conducted some standard field sobriety tests with the defendant. He took two pulses from her left wrist. The first pulse was approximately 126 beats per minute, and the second pulse was approximately 132 beats per minute. During the Modified Romberg Test he observed that the defendant had rapid eyelid flutter and estimated the passage of 20 seconds in approximately 30 seconds.
