On January 1, 2026, at approximately 3:59 A.M., Nisswa Officer Dustin Hines was on patrol when he observed an SUV driving southbound on Highway 371 in Nisswa that had damage to the passenger side. Officer Hines followed the vehicle to the Holiday Gas Station in the City of Nisswa, Crow Wing County, Minnesota, as saw it park at a pump on the opposite side of the gas tank. After watching the vehicle for approximately 20-30 minutes, Officer Hines learned that an anonymous caller had called 911, stating they had seen a domestic disturbance about 3-4 minutes earlier at Lucky's Bar in Pequot Lakes.
Dispatch advised Officer Hines that the call appeared to have been placed by someone located at the Holiday Gas Station. After watching the SUV remain at the pumps for nearly an hour, Officer Hines drove up to the SUV and parked. Officer Hines could see the driver, who was later identified as R. J. N. (fully identified in law enforcement reports), appeared to be asleep behind the wheel. Officer Hines exited his squad and began approaching the vehicle when a female exited the store and approached the vehicle.
Officer Hines eventually identified the woman as Laci Marie Martin, [DOB REDACTED], the DEFENDANT herein. In running DEFENDANT'S information, Officer Hines learned DEFENDANT had several warrants for her arrest. While waiting for the warrants to be confirmed, DEFENDANT admitted to calling 911. DEFENDANT denied being in Pequot Lakes, but claimed she had seen the domestic disturbance from the Highway while driving past. Due to the inaccuracy in her story and timeline, Officer Hines knew DEFENDANT could not have witnessed the domestic when she reported she did and believed DEFENDANT had called in the fake emergency to avoid contact with him at the gas station.
DEFENDANT'S warrants were confirmed and she was then placed under arrest. While searching DEFENDANT, Officer Hines saw a white pill fall out of her pocket. DEFENDANT admitted the pill was Percocet, which is a Schedule II controlled substance. The vehicle was also searched pursuant to the DWI investigation and officers located several items of drug paraphernalia and 2 plastic baggies containing residue. One of the baggies field-tested positive for methamphetamine, which is a schedule II controlled substance.
The other tested positive for Cocaine, which is a schedule I controlled substance. DEFENDANT was transported to the Crow Wing County Jail, where she remains in custody. DEFENDANT has prior felony convictions and was previously convicted of 5th Degree Possession of a Controlled Substance, a gross misdemeanor, in Hennepin County Court File No. ••-CR-••-•••• on October 19, 2022.
