On August 8, 2025, at approximately 9:20 A.M., an officer with the South St. Paul Police Department responded to a gas station in the City of South St. Paul, the County of Dakota, the State of Minnesota, on a report of two individuals who appeared to be intoxicated in a grey sedan at a gas pump. The female driver and a male passenger were reported to appear to be passing out. Officers responded to the scene and made contact with the occupants of the vehicle, who were slumped over and unconscious upon arrival.
The keys were observed to be in the ignition and the vehicle was running. The driver was advised to place the vehicle in park, turn it off, and put the keys on the dash. Officers observed that the passenger had a rolled up tinfoil with black residue in his right hand. Officers identified the driver as CAITLIN JO SILVA [DOB REDACTED], herein the Defendant. Officers also identified the passenger, who had an active warrant. An officer spoke with the Defendant, and based on her being passed out when officers arrived and the observation of paraphernalia in the area of her immediate control, officers asked her to step out of the vehicle to perform standardized field sobriety tests.
The first test the Defendant performed was the horizontal gaze nystagmus. During this test, the officer observed in both eyes a lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained nystagmus at the maximum deviation, and the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. The Defendant next performed the walk-and-turn test. During this test, the Defendant advised she understood the instructions and then said that she had problems with her legs, felt dizzy and shaky and may pass out. The tests were concluded and the Defendant was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence.
The Defendant was escorted to the squad car, where she continued to say she felt faint, dizzy, and shaky. Officers observed her to be swaying and she had to be guided to the vehicle. Officers searched the Defendant’s vehicle and located a large purse on the floorboard of the driver’s seat area. Within the purse, officers located an unlabeled prescription bottle containing large, white oval tablets. Officers also located a Ziploc bag containing yellow and white capsules, a zippered bag containing loaded syringes, and a metal container containing small, yellow tablets.
In the rear of the vehicle, officers located a rubber zipper bag containing a baggie with a crystalline substance, a baggie with white powder in a yellow folded up paper, and a baggie containing a blue-teal and white capsule. In the trunk, officers located a plastic bag with a black tar-like substance in strips. The suspected narcotics were collected and submitted to the Dakota County Drug Task Force for preliminary NIK testing. 3 19HA-CR-25-2106 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 12/10/2025 Officers transported the Defendant to the hospital for evaluation and submitted a search warrant for blood or urine.
