In 2016, appellant/cross-respondent James Poehler was charged with third-degree driving while impaired after a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of his vehicle for a cracked windshield violation under Minn. Stat. § 169.71, subd. 1 (2018), and a seatbelt violation under Minn. Stat. § 169.686, subd. 1(a) (2018). Poehler filed a motion to suppress the evidence of his impairment, arguing the stop of his vehicle was unlawful. The district court denied the suppression motion, finding that the stop was lawful based on the cracked windshield. Poehler was convicted following a stipulated-facts court trial.

The court of appeals affirmed Poehler’s conviction. It disagreed with the district court that the officer conducted a lawful traffic stop based on a cracked windshield because there was no evidence in the record that the crack in the windshield limited or obstructed Poehler’s vision. However, the court of appeals upheld the traffic stop based on the seatbelt violation.

On appeal to the supreme court, the issue presented is whether the law enforcement officer had a lawful basis to conduct a traffic stop of Poehler’s vehicle. (Isanti County)