MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Lino Lakes woman faces charges after police say she was seen smoking meth in a McDonald’s parking lot with a 14-year-old child in the car.
Brandie Lea Triplett, 38, faces one count of meth-related crimes involving children, one count of possessing meth and one count of possessing drug paraphernalia.
The charges stem from the afternoon of Nov. 8. According to a criminal complaint, Lino Lakes police were called to the McDonald’s on 610 Apollo Drive on a report of a woman “smoking drugs” with a child in the car. The caller gave police the woman’s license, and the number was registered to Triplett.
When police got to the McDonald’s, Triplett was gone, but the caller was still there. He said he was parked next to the car bearing Triplett’s license, and clearly saw a woman doing drugs.
Police then went to Triplett’s home and told her about the complaint. She admitted to being at McDonald’s but denied doing drugs, the complaint states.
Police said Triplett appeared to be intoxicated, and an officer arrested her, as an active warrant was out for her arrest in Wright County.
In a search of her vehicle, police found two glass pipes with meth residue and a baggie containing 1.2 grams of meth.
If convicted of the charges, Triplett faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a fine of more than $20,000.
