State, Lake Minnetonka Conservation District v. Horner

OPINION

BLATZ, Chief Justice.

The state brings this appeal of the district court’s pretrial order to suppress evidence of intoxication and dismiss operating a watercraft while under the influence charges. The state argues that special deputies of the Hennepin County Sheriffs Department, Water Patrol, have authority to investigate the charges as peace officers or as private citizens, and thus their investigation of respondent was authorized and the evidence of intoxication should not be excluded. Alternatively, the state argues that probable cause to arrest respondent existed before the special…