Dakota County Jail Booking Photo
Published: November 10th, 2026
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS MN: A 25-year-old woman with two prior DWI convictions is facing two felony assault charges after allegedly scratching a police officer, grabbing the officer's holstered firearm, and later chipping another officer's tooth during a November 8, 2026, arrest in Inver Grove Heights.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County District Court, Anya Katerina Lynn is accused of injuring two officers following a traffic stop in which police allegedly observed her traveling 78 mph in a 50 mph zone. Lynn reportedly admitted to consuming alcohol and being involved in an earlier crash before becoming combative with officers during her arrest and subsequent transportation from a hospital to the Dakota County Jail.
The incident began when law enforcement received a driving complaint involving a vehicle reportedly traveling approximately 90 mph and making unsafe lane changes without signaling.
An Inver Grove Heights police officer subsequently observed the vehicle traveling westbound on 70th Street from Highway 52 at a high rate of speed. The officer reported seeing the vehicle travel through a roundabout in a right-turn-only lane before recording its speed at 78 mph in a 50 mph zone.
According to the complaint, Lynn began exiting the vehicle immediately after being stopped. The officer noticed that the driver's side airbags had deployed and questioned whether Lynn had been involved in a crash.
Lynn allegedly acknowledged crashing earlier and told the officer, "It's a DUI, it's a DUI, I crashed a little bit back there."
The complaint states that Lynn repeatedly acknowledged she should not have been driving and admitted to consuming alcohol. She reportedly told the officer she had been traveling from Duluth and had stopped at a liquor store.
The officer reported detecting a strong odor of alcohol on Lynn's breath.
Lynn declined to participate in standardized field sobriety testing and was subsequently placed under arrest for DWI.
According to the complaint, Lynn became combative after being handcuffed, attempting to pull away from the arresting officer while the officer was securing the handcuffs.
Prosecutors allege that Lynn scratched the officer's hands with her fingernails, repeatedly pinched his legs and attempted to grab his duty belt.
At one point, Lynn allegedly grabbed the officer's holstered firearm, requiring the officer to physically remove her hand from the weapon.
The complaint further alleges that Lynn kicked the officer in the back and attempted to bite him. Additional officers arrived to assist in restraining Lynn.
The first officer reportedly sustained multiple cuts that broke the skin and caused bleeding.
Because Lynn had reportedly been involved in a crash, officers transported her to a local hospital for medical clearance.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for a blood or urine sample, and a blood draw was conducted at the hospital. The results were pending at the time the criminal complaint was prepared.
According to prosecutors, Lynn continued to resist officers while at the hospital.
During her transfer from a hospital bed to a squad car, Lynn allegedly kicked at officers and struck a second officer in the jaw with her knee, chipping the officer's tooth.
The complaint states that Lynn continued kicking the squad car's partition and door during transportation.
Investigators also reported finding visible front-end damage to Lynn's vehicle and a small container of alcohol during a search.
Court records cited in the criminal complaint indicate that Lynn has two prior impaired-driving convictions.
The complaint identifies a December 12, 2023, misdemeanor DWI conviction and a July 31, 2023, gross misdemeanor DWI test-refusal conviction.
According to prosecutors, both previous cases also involved charges of obstruction or fourth-degree assault against a peace officer. The complaint does not establish that Lynn was convicted of those additional charges.
Lynn is now charged with two felony counts of fourth-degree assault of a peace officer resulting in demonstrable bodily harm under Minnesota Statute 609.2231, subdivision 1(c)(1). Each charge carries a maximum potential sentence of three years in prison, a $6,000 fine, or both.
Lynn also faces one gross misdemeanor count of second-degree DWI with aggravating factors under Minnesota Statutes 169A.20 and 169A.25. The charge carries a maximum potential sentence of one year in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both.
The charges are allegations, and Lynn is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.