On January 8, 2026, an on-duty officer with the Inver Grove Police Department was on routine patrol in the city of Inver Grove Heights, Dakota County, Minnesota. At approximately 10:32 PM, the officer conducted a routine license plate check on a silver Subaru Legacy, bearing Minnesota License Plate Number KCW 229. The vehicle was located at a gas station off Robert Trail in Inver Grove Heights. The license plate check came back with information that, that vehicle was reported stolen out of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the day on January 8, 2026, at 8:43 AM. While at the gas station, the vehicle was parked near the gas pump, and there was a female standing between the gas pump in the vehicle. The officer recognized the female standing next to the gas pumps from prior contacts. The officer had just had contact with that female earlier in the day on January 8, 2026. The female was with another male, BENNY SIMON RAMOS [DOB REDACTED], during that earlier interaction. The female and RAMOS were seen in the female’s car during that prior interaction.
The officer observed the vehicle exit the gas station and began driving eastbound on 70th Street from Robert Trail. The vehicle turned left to travel northbound on Allen Way. The driver of the vehicle then continued on Allen Way until it took a right onto Allen Court. This street is a dead end. The vehicle then pulled into a driveway of a residence on Allen Court. The officer conducted a traffic stop. RAMOS was the driver of the vehicle, and the female was in the passenger seat. RAMOS and the female complied with police directives and exited the vehicle.
The Minneapolis Police Department confirmed the vehicle as stolen and requested no hold on the vehicle. Neither RAMOS nor the female lived at this residence, and the vehicle was going to be towed. Pursuant to an inventory search, officers observed a car seat in the backseat of the vehicle, a brown briefcase on the rear floor, a school ID belonging to a “Sky Davey” located in the front cup holder and tied around the gear shift, a black backpack in the backseat, drug paraphernalia such as meth pipes and a bong in the vehicle, and other miscellaneous items.
In a Mirandized statement, RAMOS stated that he was not aware the vehicle was stolen. RAMOS claimed his friend named “Jose Paz” had given him the vehicle to borrow approximately 20-30 minutes prior to law enforcement contact that evening. RAMOS could not provide any other information (middle 2 19HA-CR-26-68 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 1/16/2026 name, date of birth, address, etc.) for “Jose Paz.” RAMOS stated that he asked “Jose Paz” to borrow his car—the Subaru, to use the vehicle to get back to the female’s house.
When asked why they did not use the female’s car, as the officer had just seen them in it earlier, RAMOS said the female’s car was out of gas, so they were using this new vehicle to get gas for the female’s car. RAMOS claimed that once at the gas station, they didn’t end up buying gas for the female’s car because they forgot his gas can and his card was not working. RAMOS told officers that “Jose Paz” had not given any keys to the car to RAMOS. RAMOS said he was told not to turn the vehicle off by “Jose Paz.” RAMOS stated he thought his friend refused to give him the keys to the car because maybe the friend was afraid RAMOS would “take off” with the car.
