Cottage Grove traffic stop leads to drug arrest; suspect throws drink at police

Cottage Grove police say a traffic stop near a busy intersection led to two arrests, a suspect throwing a pop at a cop and the recovery of methamphetamine.

The incident occurred about 4:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, along Jamaica Avenue.

Police Capt. Pete Koerner said an officer stopped behind a vehicle near the Jamaica Avenue roundabout at Highway 61 believing the motorist needed help. Instead, people inside the vehicle were in the middle of a verbal argument. The driver, Nicholas S. Karl, 18, St. Paul, was arrested for an outstanding warrant and on suspicion of driving after suspension. He was transported to Washington County jail.

Another police officer located a 22-year-old woman near Jamaica Avenue and 90th Street who had been involved in the incident. The woman, later identified as 22-year-old Brianna M. Sieg, would not give her name to police and kept standing up while police were investigating.

Sieg then allegedly threw a soda at an officer and tried to run away, according to a police summary of the incident. An officer grabbed Sieg and brought her to the ground, but she continued to resist arrest. She complied after police threatened to use pepper spray to apprehend her.

Police allegedly recovered a substance believed to be methamphetamine from Sieg. The material was sent to a lab for testing. Sieg, who has no permanent address, was transported to Washington County jail for outstanding warrants and probation violations. She is expected to be charged with obstructing police, fleeing on foot and fifth-degree drug possession, Koerner said.

A K9 officer was used to make sure no drugs were dumped near the scene.

Tags: crime and courts, updates, crime