James Peter Johnson

On November 8, 2025, a Trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol was stationary near the Cedar Avenue Bridge, which is located in Dakota County when he observed a black Ford Mustang with loud exhaust traveling at a high rate of speed. The Trooper’s LIDAR in his squad vehicle determined that the Mustang was traveling at 93 mph in a posted 65 mph zone. The Trooper observed that the Mustang clearly travelling faster than the traffic around it and passing multiple other vehicles. The Trooper pulled out behind the Mustang and while approaching 140th Street West the Trooper again measured the Mustang’s speed, determining that it was now traveling 76 mph in a posted 45 mph zone.

The Trooper caught up with the Mustang and determined that it bore MN license plate ZMM040. The Trooper also observed that the Mustang had a pole with a camera attached to its trunk, which is common in vehicles used for street racing. Because of the Mustang’s speed the Trooper activated his emergency lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop and pull the Mustang over. The Mustang immediately increased its speed well over the posted speed limited, pulled away from all nearby traffic and began recklessly switching lanes, crossing all four southbound lanes.

The Trooper discontinued pursuit due to being on city streets and the danger of a pursuit to the motoring public. The Trooper determined that the license plates on the Mustang were associated with A. D., an adult woman fully identified in police reports, as well as James Peter Johnson [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter “Defendant,” as well as an address in the city of Farmington. The Trooper responded to the address and made contact with A. D. The Trooper explained what had happened and A. D. Explained that Defendant, her son, had the Mustang at that time and that he had probably fled because he was afraid of the police due to another outstanding speeding case he had.

The following day officers again went to the address in Farmington. The officers located a Mustang under a car cover that matched the description of the Mustang that Defendant had used to flee from law enforcement the day before, however the license plates had been removed. An officer checked the vehicle’s VIN and found that the Mustang was in fact the vehicle Defendant had used. Officers subsequently applied for and received a warrant to search the vehicle. Inside the vehicle officers located 1). Packaging 2 19HA-CR-26-434 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 3/27/2026 with Defendant’s name and address on the label as the receiver of the package; 2). A wallet in the center console containing two credit cards in Defendant’s name; 3). The vehicle’s license plates, which appeared to have recently been removed; and 4). A camera similar to the one seen on the Mustang the prior day.

The officers seized the Mustang’s license plates but left the rest of the property found in the vehicle. Sometime after this warrant was executed A. D. Listed the vehicle for sale on Facebook marketplace. A check of Defendant’s record also indicated three prior speeding incidents in the same Mustang from 2025. A search warrant for Defendant’s cellphone records was applied for and received. Those records showed that Defendant’s location was consistent with him driving the Mustang during the Trooper’s attempted traffic stop on November 8, 2025. After the attempted stop Defendant’s cellphone records indicate that he returned to the home he shares with A. D.