On January 1, 2026, at approximately 11:51 P.M., Savage Police Officer Parker Poling was on routine patrol in the city of Savage, Scott County, Minnesota. While exiting the Cub Foods parking lot, Officer Polling observed a vehicle exit the Speedway parking lot, take the north exit, proceed east, make a U-turn, and go back west on Connelly Parkway towards Highway 13. Officer Poling observed the vehicle to have extremely dark window tint on all windows, an inoperable driver's side brake light, and had two different registration stickers on the rear license plate.
Based on these observations and violations, Officer Poling began to follow the vehicle. Officer Poling observed the vehicle to be a Blue Hyundai Sonata, bearing MN license plate [PLATE REDACTED]. After getting behind the vehicle, Officer Poling activated his emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop. Officer Poling approached and made contact with the driver, an adult male/female, subsequently identified as Yusuf Hassan, [DOB REDACTED] (hereinafter “DEFENDANT”). Officer Poling proceeded to introduce himself and explained the reason for the stop.
While speaking with DEFENDANT, Officer Poling observed DEFENDANT'S face to be shiny and sweaty, which Officer Poling noted as it was approximately degrees outside. While speaking with Officer Poling, DEFENDANT had something tucked into his bottom lip, and there was a green leafy substance sitting on the front passenger seat and on/around the gear shifter. During this time, DEFENDANT provided his license and proof of insurance, though there was a significant language barrier. Based on these initial suspicions, Officer Poling asked other officers to respond to the scene.
Officers Ryan Nelson and Adam Crain responded to the scene. After arriving on scene, Officer Crain informed Officer Poling that the green leafy substance appeared to be Khat. Khat is a Schedule I controlled substance. Officer Crain then took over the investigation. Based upon Officer Crain's observations of Khat use, Officer Crain asked DEFENDANT to perform field sobriety testing, and DEFENDANT consented. Officer Crain began a series of Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, the results of which provided further clues of DEFENDANT’S impairment.
During the field sobriety tests, DEFENDANT exhibited the following: zero of six possible clues on the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (“HGN”) test, three of eight possible clues on the Walk and Turn test, and one of four indicators of impairment on the One-Legged Stand test. In addition, as there was no suspected alcohol impairment, Officer Crain administered the Lack of Convergence ("LOC") test. DEFENDANT'S eyes would not converge. Based upon Officer Crain's training and experience as a Drug Recognition Evaluator, he noted that LOC is an indicator of drug use/impairment, especially in the following drug categories: Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants, Dissociative Anesthetics, Inhalants, and Cannabis.
