An Anoka woman is facing multiple charges after police say she drove her minivan into a car wash door while under the influence of a controlled substance and later admitted to smoking PCP inside the business.
Crash at Silverstar Car Wash
According to the criminal complaint filed October 13, 2025, Shieda Zuri Pannell, 38, of Anoka, was charged with third-degree driving while impaired (DWI) and driving after license revocation after officers responded to a report of a property damage crash at Silverstar Car Wash, located at 637 West Main Street in Anoka.
When Officer Ballenger arrived around 10:35 a.m. on October 11, he found a Chrysler minivan with front-end damage parked near the curb and the car wash’s east garage door “bowed out” as though it had been struck from the inside. The vehicle’s engine was still running, and Pannell was in the driver’s seat.
The officer noted that Pannell’s speech was slurred, her eyes were watery and glossy, and the odor of fresh marijuana was strong inside the vehicle. Pannell reportedly told police she had driven from her apartment to the car wash, where she intended to smoke marijuana.
Signs of Impairment and Drug Evidence
During field sobriety testing, Pannell performed poorly — showing “poor balance, lack of coordination, and cognitive impairment,” according to the report. She later admitted to having smoked marijuana about an hour before the crash and to coming to the car wash specifically “to smoke a blunt.”
A preliminary breath test indicated no alcohol (.000) in her system. Based on his observations and specialized training as a Drug Recognition Evaluator, Officer Ballenger concluded that Pannell was under the influence of a controlled substance.
A search of Pannell’s vehicle turned up 72.5 grams of marijuana and a blue glass vial containing liquid. The liquid field-tested positive for fentanyl, though Pannell later claimed it was PCP (phencyclidine) and admitted to having smoked it inside the car wash before police arrived.
Refusal and Testing
After her arrest, Pannell was transported to the Anoka Police Department, where Officer Ballenger obtained a search warrant for a blood or urine sample, signed by Judge Jennifer Stanfield at 12:12 p.m. Pannell refused to provide a blood sample but consented to a urine test, which was collected and sent for lab analysis.
The criminal complaint notes that Pannell’s driver’s license had previously been revoked following an impaired driving search warrant issued on August 17, 2024, and remained revoked at the time of the incident.
Charges and Penalties
Prosecutors have charged Pannell with:
- Third-Degree DWI — Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance (with an aggravating factor), a gross misdemeanor carrying up to 364 days in jail and a $3,000 fine.
- Driving After Revocation, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Judge Karin McCarthy ordered that Pannell remain in custody pending her initial court appearance.
Broader Context
This incident adds to a growing number of drug-related impaired driving cases in Anoka County, where officers report more frequent encounters with drivers under the influence of substances other than alcohol. Cases involving PCP, in particular, pose heightened risks for erratic behavior and dangerous driving.
The crash at Silverstar Car Wash caused significant property damage but no injuries were reported.
Pannell remains in custody at the Anoka County Jail, and the case is pending lab results from the urine sample submitted for testing.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This report is based solely on verified facts from an Anoka County District Court criminal complaint filed October 13, 2025.
